1,147 Students Join Probidik Gema Jabar, Ready to Support School Learning
A total of 1,147 students from the Indonesian University of Education (UPI) are taking part in the Professional Strengthening Programme in Education (Probidik) Gema Jabar. Through the programme, the students will carry out teaching practice at 365 education units comprising senior secondary schools (SMA), vocational schools (SMK) and special needs schools (SLB) — specifically 230 SMA, 116 SMK and 18 SLB. The programme runs for six months, equivalent to 20 credit units.
During their assignments, the students will be supervised by UPI academic supervisors and mentor teachers at their respective schools. Probidik is designed to strengthen the competencies of prospective teachers while helping to address the shortage of teaching staff in West Java.
The initiative has received full backing from West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi. According to him, Probidik Gema Jabar is an opportunity for students to hone their teaching skills whilst making a tangible contribution to education, particularly in rural areas.
“This is a chance for you as students, over six months, to immerse yourselves in the teaching programme whilst learning directly. When teaching, it is not only academic expertise that is put into practice, but also the cultivation of feeling when teaching one’s pupils,” he said during the send-off ceremony for the students at the Ki Hajar Dewantara Hall of the West Java Education Office in Bandung on Monday, 13 July 2026.
Furthermore, Dedi Mulyadi, popularly known as Kang Dedi Mulyadi (KDM), reminded the students to take a broader view of West Java. “You must come to know West Java, not just the city of Bandung. West Java is vast, so you should understand that those who need to be educated also live in rural areas and villages,” he stressed.
One participant, Andika Darmawan, a UPI student majoring in Mechanical Engineering Education, expressed his delight at being part of the programme. “This programme is excellent for us and very helpful, especially as many teachers will retire in the future, and I am ready to step in as their replacement,” he said.
Another UPI student, Regina, expressed hope that the programme would run smoothly and serve as valuable experience before she embarks on a teaching career. “I hope the programme goes well and runs smoothly, because it will certainly help education programmes in West Java,” said Regina, who has been assigned to SMK 28 in Bandung.
The Head of the West Java Education Office, Purwanto, said the programme reflects the commitment of UPI and the West Java Provincial Government to realising a higher education institution with a tangible impact in West Java. He expressed his gratitude to UPI for implementing Probidik.
Purwanto expressed hope that the programme would enable teaching and learning activities to run ideally, ensure that pupils’ right to learn is well served, and allow students to engage in direct learning and put into practice the theories they have studied on campus.