Universities Invited to Build Awareness to Overcome Radicalism, Corruption, and Gambling

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Education is considered to be an effective way to build public awareness to strengthen the values of tolerance, inclusiveness, develop national insight, and love for the homeland. Therefore, universities need to prepare a young generation that is intelligent, has character, and is steadfast in living with the values of Pancasila.

The concern of universities to help strengthen awareness, commitment, and behavior against corruption, radicalism/terrorism, and online gambling is encouraged by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisintek).

Universities can support strategic steps to equip students with good values within themselves through education, research, and community service as well as appropriate policies.

"Education is the most powerful effort to spread awareness, strengthen the values of tolerance, inclusiveness, and develop national insight and love for the homeland," said Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, in Jakarta, on Monday (12/23/2024).

"Education plays a fundamental role in building a resilient society," he said. Therefore, the role of universities in preventing radicalism and terrorism needs to be optimized.

While attending the launch of the book series "Enlightened in Peace" held by the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) last week, the Head of BNPT, Police Commissioner General Eddy Hartono, explained that the launch of this book is a manifestation of the government's responsibility to prevent terrorism.

Education is the most powerful effort to spread awareness, strengthen the values of tolerance, inclusiveness, and develop national insight and love for the homeland.

This is in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism. "Prevention in the Law is regulated in three things, namely national preparedness, counter-radicalization, and deradicalization. The launch of this book is part of national preparedness, namely through the study of terrorism," said Eddy.

In addition, universities are invited to care about the problem of online gambling that is starting to disturb groups of students and college students. It is recorded that online gambling players in the circle of students and college students have reached 960,000 people, dominated by students. For this reason, an educational and collaborative approach is needed in preventing and handling online gambling.

Satryo revealed various steps taken by the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology. The leaders of state and private universities were asked to be actively involved in preventing the involvement of higher education personnel (students, lecturers, and education staff) in online gambling.

"The Ministry of Education and Science and Technology has ordered every leader of state and private universities to try to prevent the involvement of lecturers, students, and education staff in online gambling," said Satryo.

In addition, Kemdiktisaintek seeks to prevent online gambling practices. This is done with various approaches, namely encouraging awareness of higher education personnel about the dangers of online gambling practices, using the internet for positive and productive things, and raising commitment from all components of higher education to create a campus environment free from online gambling.

Regarding students affected by online gambling practices, Satryo will help rehabilitate and restore the psyche of affected students. This is to restore the victim's mentality and thinking so that it is hoped that they will not be trapped again in online gambling.

"Every university is required to rehabilitate and help restore the condition of students affected by online gambling practices. After that, they are ensured to no longer be trapped in online gambling," he said.

Satryo explained that the psychological rehabilitation assistance provided is adjusted to the level of trauma experienced by the victim. Currently, what is often done is therapy by psychologists for psychological and thought recovery.

Separately, Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Technology Togar M Simatupang explained the role of universities in preventing corruption through the tridharma of higher education.

Efforts to strengthen anti-corruption values are carried out by universities through the tridharma of higher education, both through education, research, and community service. On the education side, the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology encourages the inclusion of anti-corruption values in the education curriculum.

Several universities also collaborate with the police, prosecutors, and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to provide anti-corruption education teaching staff on campus.

Present at the World Anti-Corruption Day commemoration talk show entitled "Education, Culture, and Technology Strategy for Anti-Corruption" held by the National Police Headquarters, Togar explained that strengthening anti-corruption values can be done through community service activities. For example, socialization, technical guidance, and simulations carried out by academics.

In addition, strengthening anti-corruption can be done through cross-disciplinary research for the development of technology or early detection of antifraud. "We encourage cross-disciplinary research by utilizing data to see fraud patterns, international anti-corruption standards, early detection technology for anti-fraud and scientific evidence," said Togar.

Corruption prevention is also carried out by strengthening good governance or good institutional governance and implementing anti-corruption values in work units and universities.

"We encourage every university and work unit of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology to strengthen institutional governance to realize a clean bureaucracy through the implementation of Integrity Zones and Corruption-Free Areas/Clean and Serving Bureaucratic Areas," said Togar.