Kampus Mengajar Program is one of many programs under Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM). This program spans four months (one semester). Thanks to this program and, of course, the hard work of Kampus Mengajar Participant Team of Batch 6 in improving Literacy and Numeracy, excellent results have been achieved for the learners. About 21,500 students were deployed across Indonesia at various levels, including Elementary Schools (SD), Junior High Schools (SMP), and Vocational High Schools (SMK).
The achievements and hard work are undoubtedly the result of student’s participation in Kampus Mengajar Program. Oktafiana Retno Wulandari, a student from Universitas Terbuka majoring in Mathematics in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), was one of the participants in batch 6. For Retno, choosing Kampus Mengajar Program from the numerous Kampus Merdeka programs was a way to prove herself. The benefits gained from Kampus Mengajar Program were among her reasons.
Retno added, “The initial thought of not wanting to continue as a teacher was changed after four months of Kampus Merdeka Program. The assignment was at SD Negeri Banyu Urip II/363, a primary school with 20 classes, located in Kampung Banyu Urip Surabaya. The school conditions were challenging, with a lack of classrooms, insufficient teaching staff, and the ineffectiveness of the morning and afternoon learning activities.”
To become part of the Program, participants must go through a selection process. Retno explained, “To be part of Kampus Mengajar Program, there are several stages: 1) Document selection, 2) Numeracy and Literacy Test, Value Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT), and survey kebhinekaan, 3) Online training to prepare for the assignment at the designated school.”
After passing through various selection stages, Retno’s belief, that she would pass it, became a reality. One month after the test, Retno received a CONGRATULATIONS email as a subject, an excitement and unbelievable email confirming her acceptance as a participant in Kampus Mengajar Batch 6. The final step for Retno was a 15-day online training before going to the designated school, where participants received many tips for implementation during the assignment.
Retno’s Kampus Mengajar program assignment started on August 14, 2023, and lasted until December 2, 2023. She gained many experiences and meaningful moments during this period. At the assigned school, Retno taught in preparation for the Computer-Based National Assessment or “Asesmen Nasional Berbasis Komputer (ANBK)” in Bahasa Indonesia as a Numeracy teacher and taught Mathematics to the 2B class.
Retno said, “The students of class 2B at SD Negeri Banyu Urip II/363 were always expressive and excited to answer some questions I made. Mathematics, which is often an “intimidating” subject for students, compelled me to brainstorm to make it an enjoyable learning subject.”
She continued, “For the Measurement learning material, I provided various ribbons with different lengths that could be measured with the rulers they had. The success of this learning was because my students tried to measure the ribbons and successfully determined the lengths of A, B, and C ribbons. For the ANBK preparation with a very short duration, from Monday to Friday, students worked on questions from books and those I created.”
For Retno, this activity was memorable because she could see the gradual progress of students in completing difficult questions. Additionally, the implementation of the work program prepared by the Assignment Group at SD Negeri Banyu Urip II/363 was also a memorable experience. Learning while playing, the main principle of the group, and the number of educational games made the students enthusiastic. The reactions of the students made Retno and her group happy, showing the success of the work program according to their principles.
Finally, on December 1, 2023, came the farewell day. Retno said goodbye to the students she had guided for the past four months. Many experiences were gained. The ups and downs were giving unique meanings and impressions that Retno would not forget.
In conclusion, Retno conveyed, “The impact of this assignment makes me more confident in dreaming of becoming a teacher. My previous reluctance to become a teacher has changed. The fears I had disappeared, replaced by joy when I saw students enthusiastic, brave to answer questions, and their expressions, which made me imagine what it would be like if I really became a teacher. Who else can be at the forefront for the next generation without the involvement of teachers or educators?” She stated.
