Jakarta Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar has emphasized the role of varsities in developing villages through the community service program (KKN).

“I hope that UGM students who undergo KKN in villages can help and accelerate the equitable distribution of development,” he remarked at the briefing and release of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students undergoing KKN in Yogyakarta on Friday.

The minister pointed out three things that will be targeted and accelerated in terms of village development, with the support of village funds provided by the government.

“First, accelerating the equitable distribution of development, because it is one of President Joko Widodo’s priorities,” he informed.

The next target is the acceleration of public services, under which he said he expects the needs of villagers to be served smoothly and quickly at the village level and not be limited to the sub-district level.

The third target is to increase human resources because they are an important element in bolstering village development.

Iskandar emphasized that the utilization of village potential must be supported by adequate human resources.

Meanwhile, UGM Rector Ova Emilia said that KKN has been a compulsory course at UGM since 1979, and in 2006, it was upgraded to the KKN – Community Empowerment Learning (KKN-PPM), with the aim of making students understand the problems faced by society.

In the latest batch of KKN-PPM, the university dispatched as many as 1,033 students who will be distributed to 10 provinces, 27 districts and cities, 50 sub-districts, and 102 villages throughout Indonesia, to carry out their KKN services from December 16, 2022, to January 4, 2023, said Emilia.

“From 2018 to 2022, KKN-PPM has (focused on sending students to) 48 underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas. This is a form of support in the development of a better region,” she explained.

Source: Antara News