Students at a loss over future studies
Students at a loss over future studies
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Many students who want to continue their studies at university
are at a loss because they do not really know what subject to
major in and which university to go to.
They admitted their choice was influenced by their peers or
their parents orders.
Ricky Romani, a student at a private high school in Kampung
Melayu, East Jakarta, said he chose a university where his gang
would also continue studying.
"We are a group of four students. We still want to study
together at the same university. That's why I enrolled myself
with the same university and chose the same subject as they did,"
he said on Wednesday.
Over 135,000 high school students took part in the final
exams, the results of which will be announced on Monday.
Even though the exam results have not yet been announced,
Ricky has registered with a private university in Depok and plans
to take a course in information management.
When asked what attracted him in his choice of subject, he
simply said, "I don't know. My friends told me it would be
interesting".
Ricky also said he had no idea if the subject would help him
get professional work in a particular field in the future.
Like Ricky, many other students are also in the dark about
their future studies. It is a common problem here, where most
schools do not provide counseling for students who want to go to
university.
Parents play a very important role in influencing their
children's decision on which university to choose and subject of
study.
Sandy Purnomo complained about his father's order to apply to
a certain university and to enroll in a subject he really hates.
"My father forced me to apply for the marketing management
course at a private university in Central Jakarta. He said, "If
you don't go to that university, it would be better if you
stopped studying and got a job," he groaned.
Sandy had hoped to take a hotel management course at a private
university in Tebet, South Jakarta, after graduating from his
vocational school in Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, but his
father's order made him drop his dream.
Unlike both students, Suryo Adinugroho, a student at a popular
state high school in South Jakarta, knows exactly what he wants.
"I'll take a course in information technology at the Surabaya
Institute of Technology (ITS)," said Suryo, who is very fond of
computers.
He said he had applied to the ITS because he doubted he would
be admitted to other popular universities, such as the Bandung
Institute of Technology or the University of Indonesia.
"Also, my relatives live in Surabaya. I'll save a lot of money
by studying there," Suryo said, adding that he had attended study
guidance courses at his school to ensure he would qualify at his
preferred university.
Suryo said his school provided counseling for students who
wanted to continue their studies, but he had not joined these
sessions, which were arranged upon request, because he already
had his mind made up.
Rinaldo has another common problem: He cannot afford to pay
for his tertiary education.
"I have no choice. I have to work. My parents can't afford
it," he sighed.
Rinaldo said his family depended on donations from other
relatives because his father could not work due to a serious
heart problem. His mother is a housewife and as the eldest child
he must now help feed the family.