National Library and Unpad to Boost Literacy in 74 West Java Villages Through Thematic KKN
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Library of Indonesia (Perpusnas) is collaborating with Padjadjaran University (Unpad) to strengthen public literacy through the 2026 Thematic Literacy Community Service Programme (KKN Tematik Literasi) in 74 villages across West Java.
Head of Perpusnas, E. Aminudin Aziz, said Unpad is one of 23 universities collaborating with Perpusnas on this year’s Thematic Literacy KKN. Last year, in 2025, the programme involved 21 universities with around 10,400 students across 17 provinces.
“This year there are two additional universities, one of which is Unpad. After discussing with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, we saw a need to jointly improve literacy development in West Java,” he said in an official statement in Jakarta on Friday.
“West Java’s human development index is high, but overall literacy remains low, and the reading habit level is also still low. Reading on social media may be high, but more serious reading remains a challenge,” he said.
Through the Thematic Literacy KKN programme, Perpusnas will reach 1,000 locations across 18 provinces in 2026. In West Java specifically, 74 villages have been selected as programme sites. Around 740 Unpad students will be directly involved in implementing the literacy programme supported by Perpusnas at these locations.
The programme focuses on strengthening financial literacy, poverty alleviation and health. To support its implementation, Perpusnas has provided around 1,000 book titles in each KKN village as a learning resource for students and the community.
“If the students working on literacy are in a village, a thousand book titles are already available there. That means for 74 villages, around 74,000 book titles have been provided. This reflects Perpusnas’s commitment to building a literacy culture together with universities,” he said.
Aminudin believes students have a closer connection with communities, enabling them to become literacy drivers at the village level.
“Students are usually more readily accepted by the community. They come not as civil servants, but as partners working wholeheartedly. That is why we invite students to jointly build the literacy skills of village communities as our shared responsibility,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Unpad Rector Arief S. Kartasasmita said KKN is part of the learning process that gives students direct experience of being present within communities. Beyond serving as a learning vehicle outside campus, KKN is also expected to support various government programmes whilst helping to address problems faced by communities.
“We wish the students well in their studies and in carrying out their KKN. Make the most of this opportunity to learn directly from the community. We also entrust the good name of Padjadjaran University to be upheld throughout their service,” he said.
The West Java Provincial Government, represented by Asep Sukmana, Assistant for Governance and People’s Welfare at the West Java Regional Secretariat, stated that this year’s KKN programme aligns with various regional development priorities, ranging from poverty alleviation and waste management to improving literacy.