The street children creativity program is a form of saving street children from the educational crisis they are experiencing. The teaching activities of street children which are delivered through the method of making toys are expected to be able to bind their attention to learn and create from the things they learn.
That is what the FTUI community service team (pengmas) led by the FTUI Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (DTMM) lecturer, Badrul Munir, Ph.D., in collaboration with the Technique Informal School, Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia (TIS FTUI). They provide online and offline teaching to 70 out-of-school children of kindergarten, elementary, and junior high school age in the Karang Pola area, Pasar Minggu.
This program is named Telusur Bestari: UI Teaching Engineering Student Program for Informal Schools, and involves 18 new students of FTUI class 2021 from various study programs.
Since 2013, TIS FTUI has started a transformation to educate and teach street children by opening a learning shelter in Pemulung Village in the Karang Pola area, Pasar Minggu. TIS FTUI not only teaches school lessons but also teaches technical knowledge in the form of applying it to some toys or simple tools that can be easily made by children.
TIS FTUI is a Semi Autonomous Body (BSO) of FTUI which is engaged in social education. The main program of TIS includes the provision of reading parks and creativity programs for street children. The TIS reading park in the Pondok Cina area, Depok is an open library for reading and borrowing books intended for everyone from kindergarten children to adults.
“We see that the implementation of teaching and learning activities during the pandemic has many obstacles, especially in low-level formal education, namely Kindergarten and Elementary Schools which require a lot of physical interaction but are difficult to obtain with virtual classroom methods. With the delay in the learning process, there is the potential for permanent dropout problems that can occur for students who are still in school. Our community service activities are dedicated to providing equal education to children who have not yet received the right to education,” said Syaniar Tiara (Industrial Engineering 2020) who is the Action Coordinator.
The Karang Pola area was chosen as the location for community service because it is one of the operational areas of the TIS FTUI informal school which has carried out various activities in the social sector to support various children’s education in the area. This community service activity is supported by the Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment, University of Indonesia and is a form of concern and real action on the role of students as agents of change.
“The AKSIOMA 2021 activity begins with online teaching on October 30, 2021 and continues with live activities at the location in the following weeks. In offline teaching, the activity begins with group gymnastics which is assessed and prizes are given to the students who are the most enthusiastic. Then proceed with the learning process of several subjects, including Mathematics, Science, Indonesian, and English. In addition to online activities, the AKSIOMA Program also provides donations in the form of facilities, bookshelves, learning module books and operational funds channeled through TIS,” said Muhammad Daffa (Mechanical Engineering 2020) who is the Field Coordinator.
Badrul Munir, Ph.D., a supervisor who also serves as Director of Student Affairs at UI said, “We hope that all students can make the slightest changes to help younger siblings who are hampered in carrying out and getting their education rights. This change is also a motivation and encouragement for younger siblings and friends out there who are still in school so that they don’t give up and stay motivated in achieving their goals.”
