Challenges for the Merdeka Belajar

Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim established the Four Principles of the Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) Education Policy (11/12/2019).

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim

The four principles include the National Standard School Examination, National Examination (UN), Learning Implementation Plan, and Regulations for Admission of New Zoning Students. Specifically for higher education, on Jan. 24, the education minister launched the Merdeka Campus (Independent Campus) policy, which was stipulated in five ministerial regulations.

Translating Education and Culture Ministerial Regulation No. 3 of 2020 concerning National Standards for Higher Education becomes an interesting topic to find steps for its implementation. Higher education institutions (PT) are required to give rights for students to voluntarily take or not take semester credit units (SKS) outside their campus for as many as two semesters or equivalent to 40 SKS. Students can also take SKS in other study programs on campus. The Kampus Merdeka policy provides the widest possible space for universities to optimize the potential and characteristics of academic excellence to be accessible to students across higher education institutions. Therefore innovation, creative breakthroughs, and strengthening of the strategic field of science will be the capital to implement the Merdeka Belajar and Merdeka Campus.