Essay Contest Encourages Students to Think Critically and Find Solutions
The Djarum Foundation has once again held its Essay Contest, with 16 recipients of the Djarum Beasiswa Plus (Beswan Djarum) scholarship competing in the national final at the Grand Mercure in Badung, Bali. The 16 finalists were selected from 517 participants representing 103 universities across all 38 provinces in Indonesia. The two-day event took place from Thursday (25/06) to Friday (26/06).
Felicia Hanitio, Deputy Program Director of Bakti Pendidikan Djarum Foundation, explained that the activity is designed as a platform to shape critical thinking and problem-solving mindsets among Indonesia’s educated youth. This is in line with recommendations from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology regarding three essential skills needed today: critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. Within the Djarum Beasiswa Plus programme, the first two skills are believed to be added value beyond students’ non-academic capacities and must be nurtured from an early stage.
Therefore, after students are awarded the scholarship, the Djarum Foundation encourages them to hone their thinking through argumentative essays. ‘Soft skills are increasingly needed by the younger generation in the modern era. We train students to be sensitive to issues around them, seek data and facts, think critically to find solutions, and express their thoughts as a form of their intellectual identity in an argumentative essay. Djarum Foundation believes that every major change begins with an idea that is written down and communicated,’ Felicia explained. She added that the Beswan Djarum whose writings are selected are then required to articulate their thoughts orally, through the Essay Contest at regional and national levels. She concluded that through the process of writing, presenting, and discussing with the jury, participants are able to connect their cognitive knowledge with real, innovative solutions that have a tangible impact on their surrounding environment.