North Sumatra Ministry of Law Office Encourages Students to Intern at Village-Level Legal Aid Posts

Medan (ANTARA) - The North Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is encouraging students from 18 universities in the region to undertake internships and field work practices at village and sub-district level legal aid posts (posbankum). “This cooperation aims to optimise the duties and functions of village posbankum so that legal aid services are more targeted for the community,” said the Head of the North Sumatra Ministry of Law Regional Office, Ignatius Mangantar Tua Silalahi, in Medan on Thursday. Ignatius stated that one concrete step being taken is to encourage law faculty students to carry out field work practices or internships at village and sub-district posbankum. Furthermore, he said the cooperation is marked by the signing of Cooperation Agreements (PKS) with 18 universities, including Universitas Asahan, Universitas Labuhanbatu, and Universitas Asri Mutiara. “Through this programme, students are expected not only to gain practical experience but also to play a role in improving the operations of Posbankum in villages, which have not been running optimally so far,” he said. Ignatius added that the cooperation also encompasses digital transformation in legal information services, with universities and the ministry committing to integrate the National Legal Documentation and Information Network (JDIHN) website to ensure the valid and transparent distribution of legal documents to the public. “With this data integration, legal literacy in villages is expected to increase along with easier access to legal information,” he said. He hopes that this collaboration can position students as drivers in activating legal services at the village level. “The collaboration between the academic world and bureaucracy is expected to expand access to justice for the community up to the remotest villages,” he said.