UNS – The Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, had a casual talk with Kompascom on the higher education frenzies amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Thursday (14/5/2020). On the Instagram live broadcast from the official account @kompascom, Prof. Jamal answered the questions concerning new student admission and online learning.
To the internet citizens who watched the live Instagram broadcast, Prof. Jamal firstly explained the new student admission scheme at the Public University (PTN). “The new student admission through SNMPTN based on the academic grades and other scores for achievement determined by the university, such as academic grades, winner of international English speech competition, champion of mathematics, physics, and other Olympiads. Besides that, the other criteria determined by several universities that use hafidz Al-Quran,” Prof. Jamal conveyed.
Besides SNMPTN, Prof. Jamal also explained several indicators for assessment in SBMPTN admission line. In addition to joining the Computer-based Written Examination (UTBK), Prof. Jamal mentioned that there are programs (Prodi) that require additional documents, such as the practice score in sport and arts.
In selecting the new students for PTN, Prof. Jamal explained that each PTN has a minimum and maximum limit that they have to fulfill. For example, through SNMPTN and SBMPTN which use the minimum limit of quota determined by each PTN and independent admission examination which use the maximum limit to meet the quota of new students provided by the PTN.
Another question from the viewers to Prof. Jamal is the change in class activities from classroom meetings into an online lecture due to Covid-19 pandemic.
As the chair of the Council of Rector of Indonesian State University (CRISU), Prof. Jamal stated that since 16 March, several PTN has started online learning. However, according to Prof. Jamal several PTN experienced difficulties in implementing online learning, especially in terms of network access for students.
“As mentioned by the Rector of Universitas Musamus Merauke, Prof. Philipus Betaubun that there is a problem with the signal because of the mountainous terrain,” he continued.
Although there were obstacles on the signal access due to geographical region, online learning is inevitable to implement the COVID-19 health protocols which require the community not to gather in groups, perform social distancing, and physical distancing.
At the end of the Kompascom live broadcast, Prof. Jamal stated that PTN has tried to facilitate student’s needs to follow online learning by providing internet quota and credits.
“The rectors took a policy to provide data package (for students), UNS provides phone credit. In UNS we have provided it twice, in April and May, the latter was for around 26.000 students with 99.2% (coverage),” Prof. Jamal concluded. Humas UNS/Yefta