JAKARTA - Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Anwar Makarim said military education which is widely reported and is a topic of discussion is not mandatory but voluntary.
"You can take the program voluntarily, for example training for officers like in the United States. If a student wants to participate, he is entitled to an SKS (semester credit unit)," he said in a working meeting with Commission X of the DPR which was broadcast live TVR Parliament, reported by Antara, Thursday , August 27th.
He said he had never been consulted about military education programs by the Ministry of Defense. Because of that, he admitted that he was shocked when there was a report mentioning military service in the context of defending the country.
According to him, what was discussed with the Ministry of Defense was the concept of an Independent Campus, in which students could take one semester at the company, one exchange semester at another campus, and one semester to teach on campus.
"So military education is voluntary. Just like the Independent Campus. How can we push for Freedom of Learning, but forcing students to study military. The principle is independence, voluntary. Students and students choose for themselves," he said.
Therefore, the Minister of Education and Culture emphasized that there would be no coercion. There will be no mandatory or enforced curriculum related to military or state defense education at universities.
"There is no discussion at all. It is just speculation," said Nadiem Makarim.
Commission X DPR held a working meeting with the Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Anwar Makarim with a number of agendas including distance learning and the 2019 State Budget financial report.
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