UNS – Two faculty members of Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Heru Agustanto, M.S.E and Bambang Sarosa, M.Si. conducted a series of activities in Kampung Maronggelo, Wolomeze Village, Riung Barat Sub-district, Ngada District, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) last February. The two lecturers of Undergraduate Program on Management, FEB UNS, together with the local community and Community Service Program (KKN) students have a program to develop the village using the independent village concept based on local wisdom.
“We helped together with the local community, community leaders, traditional leaders, and local village officials in building their villages with the concept of an independent village based on local wisdom, especially by utilizing all local potential, especially natural, environmental, and resources in the village, including economic resources,” stated Heru when contacted by uns.ac.id team on Thursday (7/5/2020).
The village development can be seen from the efforts to improve the Integrated Agricultural Vocational Highschool (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan – SMK) Santo Bertelomeus Maronggelo in human resource, facilities, and educational infrastructure, as well as other assistance. The SMK is managed under Cahaya Warukia Education Foundation (SANDICAKIA).
Initially, the establishment of the Vocational School had been initiated several years ago by the two FEB UNS lecturers together with religious leaders from Maronggelo Village, Father Berto, a Pastor who was a Doctor in the field of Religious Sociology, as well as with several other community leaders. The school enters its second year but the learning process is still carried out in another school in the village. On Saturday (2/5/2020) it was planned to lay the first stone for the construction of a school building but when confirmed by the uns.ac.id team, Heru said that he had not received information from the village.
“For the laying of the first stone, I have not received information. They hoped that we can be there during the laying of the first stone for building the school, but the current condition has not enabled us to go there,” explained Heru.
The Integrated Agricultural SMK Santo Bertelomeus Maronggelo uses the independent school based on local wisdom as a concept. A portion of school fees and teaching and learning cost is funding from the agricultural and livestock products. Agriculture and animal husbandry are managed by students and teachers in a 10 hectares land handed by Maronggela village as land for the school practice.
The programs that have been carried out in the village are among others, establishing educational cooperation, farmer cooperation, bokashi fertilizer production training, and providing bamboo craft training.
To achieve success in these programs, Heru and Bambang invited their students to Maronggelo village to continue the series of village programs through three periods of KKN UNS program. Bambang and Heru currently also designing soy farming programs. The program is planned to work together with the sub-district and village governments.
“Nah, another potential is soy, there was a survey from the related office, (they) reported that it is compatible, but nobody has started to plant, that is why our plan in this planting season (we) will try to invite (the villagers) to plant soy for the SMK practice, at least for an example of soybean cultivation and later from the results we immediately make tempe products that are easy to process, after that tofu. It is harder to find tofu or tempe than to find meat,” stated Heru. Humas UNS/Zalfaa
