UNAIR NEWS – Aidatul Fitriyah, a student from the Faculty of Humanities Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), has won third place in an international essay competition. The competition, known as “The 22nd Indonesian Scholars International Convention (ISIC),” was organized by the Association of Indonesian Students in the United Kingdom (UK).
The competition’s final round was held on Saturday, August 31, 2024, in a hybrid format at the Indonesian Embassy in the UK, with Indonesian students from around the globe actively participating.
Vision for Educational Reform
Fitriyah achieved this recognition with her essay titled ” Merdeka Belajar Initiative in the Indonesian Education System.” In her work, she proposed fundamental reforms that could drive a major transformation in Indonesia’s education system by replacing the traditional teacher-centered approach with a student-centered model.
“In this proposal, I focus on innovations in pedagogy that put students at the forefront,” Fitriyah explained. ” I introduced models such as project-based learning, gamification, flipped classrooms, and service-based learning.”
Through her proposal, Fitriyah aims to better prepare Indonesian students for global challenges by enhancing their critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative skills.
She also highlighted the importance of integrating technology into learning, advocating for greater flexibility for teachers to tailor their instructional methods to meet student needs.
“Through this idea, I hope the Merdeka Belajar initiative can be adopted nationwide, helping to shape a competent young generation in Indonesia, ready to compete globally,” she stated.
Fitriyah further explained that her initiative could offer a practical solution to many of the current educational challenges, making the system more responsive to students’ needs and societal changes.
She hopes that her proposed reforms will not only elevate the quality of education across Indonesia but also help reduce disparities between different regions. Moreover, her ideas contribute to the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which is dedicated to ensuring quality education.
She also acknowledged that managing her time was the biggest challenge during the competition, as she nearly did not complete her essay. However, with a well-conceived idea and strategy, her proposal stood out to the judges, earning her this prestigious accolade.
Author: Venni Tanujaya
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
