Nadiem Didn't Talk About UKT Relaxation In Announcement Of Covid-19 Education Policy

JAKARTA - Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim announced a number of education sector policies during the early days of COVID-19, ranging from early childhood education, elementary, secondary, to tertiary education.

He conveyed this in a virtual conference via the Zoom webinar with the Coordinating Ministry for PMK, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Religion, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and the Commission X DPR RI, Monday, June 15.

In his presentation, Nadiem mentioned the flexibility in the use of school operational costs (BOS) and educational operational costs (BOP) for and the provision of special facilities for handling COVID-19 in schools. However, Nadiem did not mention the certainty of relaxing the single tuition fee (UKT) for university students.

Regarding policies for higher education, Nadiem only explained that the academic year for students still starts in August 2020. However, the learning process is only done online (online).

"Students have not studied face-to-face. The reason is that universities have the potential to adopt distance learning more easily than secondary and basic education," said Nadiem.

Even so, there are student activities that are allowed in the university environment. The activities that he calls priority are activities related to student graduation.

"For example, research in the laboratory for thesis and dissertation theses. Usually this is a small group or individual project. Then, laboratory assignments, practicum, studio, workshop and other things that require machines, equipment, and others," he said.

"Why do we allow it, because we do not want to sacrifice the potential of each student to graduate at this time," he continued.

On the same occasion, the certainty of UKT relaxation was alluded to by the Chairman of Commission X DPR RI Syaiful Huda. Huda asked Nadiem to ensure that all universities, both public and private, could loosen the burden of student tuition fees.

"We want to ensure that it is related to UKT relaxation. We ask that UKT relaxation can really be carried out on every campus. We encourage the Minister of Education and Culture to create a special evaluation task force for campuses that have not implemented UKT relaxation," said Huda.

Some time ago, the hashtag #MendikbudDicariMahasiswa appeared on social media. This hashtag was echoed by the Indonesian Student Executive Board (BEM SI), which demanded the government provide relaxation in tuition fees.

They were upset because they had submitted an invitation to the BEM SI hearing to the Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Anwar on the 2nd May National Education Day (Hardiknas), but were ignored.

"Our demands to the Minister of Education and Culture include exemption or relaxation of tuition fees for the impact of implementing learning from home and the inaccessibility of various campus facilities," said the Head of BEM SI Remi Hastian.

In addition, Remi asked the government to understand that they are experiencing difficulties in learning activities. This is because the full UKT payment obligation is deemed unfair for students because lectures are conducted at home and do not use campus facilities.

"The large cost of internet quota as a substitute for online lectures which consumes internet quota, and providing logistical assistance to students affected by COVID-19 who are isolated around campus," said Remi.

The Ministry of Education and Culture also had time to answer student unrest related to UKT relaxation. Director General of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) Nizam stated that the Ministry of Education and Culture has opened a number of options for reducing tuition fees. Unfortunately, this option is not an obligation for the university to comply.

Nizam said that the chancellor of state universities was asked to make a policy to postpone UKT payments, facilitate UKT payment installments, reduce UKT fees, and provide financial assistance to those who are entitled.

"All submission mechanisms and decisions from the agreement of the State Higher Education Rectors' Council are regulated by each PTN," said Nizam.

To get UKT relief, students can submit an application to the leadership of PTN according to the applicable procedures in each PTN.