What Is the RPL Pathway Taken by Jeje Govinda for His Bachelor's Degree?
The graduation video of West Bandung Regent Ritchie Ismail, known as Jeje Govinda, has come under public scrutiny after he obtained a Bachelor of Government Science degree in just 1.5 years. The brother-in-law of celebrity Raffi Ahmad completed his undergraduate studies at Jenderal Achmad Yani University through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathway.
According to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, RPL is the recognition of an individual’s learning achievements obtained from formal, non-formal, or informal education, or work experience, as a basis for continuing formal education and obtaining equivalency with certain qualifications. RPL does not start from scratch; learning is adjusted based on an assessment conducted by the university on the learning achievements submitted during registration.
The legal basis for implementing RPL includes Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation Number 41 of 2021 on Recognition of Prior Learning, Regulation Number 53 of 2023 on Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and Director General Decree Number 91/E/KPT/2024 on Technical Guidelines for Implementing RPL in academic higher education institutions.
Based on the 2024 RPL guidebook published by the ministry, there are two types of RPL: Type A and Type B. RPL Type A facilitates individuals who have prior learning to continue formal education. It is designed to recognise learning outcomes obtained through non-formal and informal education, or work experience, relevant to a specific study programme at a university. Through RPL Type A, a person can convert their learning experience into academic credits, allowing them to continue their studies without repeating courses or material they have already mastered.
Recognition in RPL Type A is partial, through the acknowledgement of learning achievements for specific courses or groups of courses within the curriculum. Prior learning achievements that can be recognised include those from previous study programmes at other universities, non-formal and informal education, or work experience. The maximum limit for recognised learning achievements is 70 percent of the minimum total credits for a study programme, or 100 credits for a bachelor’s degree and 37 credits for a master’s degree. Study programmes are also given the freedom to determine which courses are offered for recognition. However, final assignments and their related components cannot be offered for recognition. RPL cannot be implemented for doctoral programmes, and students who dropped out of previous education may continue their studies through RPL at another university, but not at their original institution.
Individuals wishing to participate in RPL Type A must meet several requirements. For the credit transfer category, participants must have previously studied in a study programme at another university. For the credit acquisition category, participants must have at least a senior high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants continuing to a professional or master’s programme must hold a bachelor’s degree and have learning achievements from formal, non-formal, or informal education, or work experience relevant to the intended study programme.
RPL Type B is designed to obtain recognition of equivalency with certain qualifications for prospective lecturers. The outcome of RPL Type B is a Decree of Equivalency with the Indonesian National Qualifications Framework (KKNI), at least at level 8 for prospective lecturers, based on the KKNI qualification level descriptors. Thus, the output of RPL Type B is not a degree, but only a KKNI Equivalency Decree. The purpose of universities organising RPL Type B is to fulfil the academic qualifications of prospective lecturers and to provide opportunities for those with specific competencies not available through existing study programmes.