Critics expect much more from the Open University<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Open University (UT) marked its 10th
\nanniversary yesterday but critics, including Minister of
\nEducation and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, say much more is
\nexpected of it.<\/p>\n
Critics said the Open University, which runs its courses using
\ntelecommunications, still retains the image of being a second-
\nclass college or an education of last resort.<\/p>\n
Wardiman Djojonegoro, who attended the anniversary ceremony at
\nthe Jakarta Hilton Convention Center yesterday, said the
\nuniversity should be able to compete with other educational
\ninstitutions in recruiting the best students.<\/p>\n
\"Our country's geographical condition and the increasing
\ndemand for high-quality lecturers makes the distance-learning
\nmethod one of the best and, sometimes, only alternatives... the
\nUniversity is therefore obligated to improve the quality of its
\nsystem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged UT's significant role in reaching segments of
\nthe community that other colleges could not. In this regard, he
\nsaid, the University has made major contributions to increasing
\nand evenly dispersing access to a higher education.<\/p>\n
Although 51 state universities and 1,100 private universities
\nexist in Indonesia, not all regions are capable of providing a
\nsound university education for high school graduates.<\/p>\n
This situation makes the role of UT all the more important
\nbecause it can reach most of the country's remote regions,
\nWardiman added.<\/p>\n
UT Rector B. Suprapto said the university attracted not only
\nhigh school graduates but also people already working. These
\n'returning students,' in fact, made up a large majority of its
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
Wan Usman, a staff member of the University, said some 95
\npercent of UT students are \"marginal income\" employees.<\/p>\n
Eighty-seven percent of these employee-students are teachers,
\nmembers of the armed forces and civil servants, 54 percent of
\nwhom obtain funding for the tuition fee from their respective
\ninstitutions, he said.<\/p>\n
In such a situation, even the slightest increase in tutorial
\nfees will markedly cut back the demand for UT's services.<\/p>\n
Tutors<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, it is quite easy to understand why private
\ninstitutions are not attracted to tutoring UT students,\" Wan
\nsaid, commenting on the University's lack of good-quality tutors
\nlately.<\/p>\n
UT students, he pointed out, could not afford the high
\ntutoring expenses set up by private institutions.<\/p>\n
Universitas Terbuka, consists of the schools of economics,
\nsocial and political sciences, mathematics and science, and
\nteaching and education.<\/p>\n
It currently has some 200,000 students distributed throughout
\nIndonesia and overseas. Tutoring and examinations for those
\nliving abroad are handled by the Indonesian embassies in the
\nrespective countries.<\/p>\n
UT, which is among the most recently established state
\nuniversities, originally based its module system on a similar
\nmethod used in Canada. It presently has 32 units of Long Distance
\nStudies Programs distributed across the country.<\/p>\n
Irmal, from the University's public relations office, said UT
\nhas inducted 26,895 graduates over the last 10 years.<\/p>\n
UT currently works in cooperation with the ministries of
\ntransmigration, agriculture, home affairs, religious affairs, the
\narmed forces, state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia, Indonesia's
\nofficial air fleet Garuda Indonesia, the national family planning
\nboard, the state post office, the national library and the
\nCentral Bureau of Statistics.(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/critics-expect-much-more-from-the-open-university-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}