
UIN Antasari and UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta Send Their Student Community Service (KKN) Students to Loksado
State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and UIN Antasari Banjarmasin once again conducted a community service collaboration which this time was manifested in Student Community Service (KKN), in Lumpangi Village, Loksado District, Hulu Sungai Selatan (HSS) Regency. 10 students from UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta and 5 students from UIN Antasari Banjarmasin stayed directly to the community for approximately 1 month (July-August).
Upon arrival at the location, the students were welcomed by the Secretary of HSS, H. Muhammad Noor along with the government officials of HSS, Sar Ipansyah as the Sub-District Head of Loksado, the District Leadership Coordination Forum, the Chief of LP2M UIN Antasari Banjarmasin, the Coordinator of KKN of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, the Supervising Lecturers and the Headman of Lumpangi in Rakat Mufakat Hall of the Regional Secretariat Office.
The Coordinator of Student Community Service (KKN) of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Didik Krisdiyanto expressed his appreciation for the acceptance of the HSS Regency Government, such as being picked up at the Airport, then being delivered to the KKN location and even giving housing facilities. “We are given a pretty heavy mandate to educate students, so that they have a capability not only in academic and religious knowledge but also in social provision”, he said.
Didik revealed that the Student Community Service (KKN) is expected to educate more than just students. In the past, the program was only carried out around Yogya and Java, but this time, it can be held outside Java, and even abroad now. “We ask for your help from the local government here and the residents of Lumpangi Village as well to help our students so they can get more extensive knowledge in the District of HSS,” he continued.
Yahya Mof, the Chief of LP2M UIN Antasari Banjarmasin said that besides KKN regular program, there is also another program called KKN Nusantara for students to do the Student Community Service (KKN) in Yogyakarta, East Java and Central Kalimantan. In fact, there is also a KKN program to send some students abroad, including Sarawak. “We leave five of our students together with UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta students to learn how to understand the village. It’s not only limited to lectures and theory comprehension, but also have to understand what’s happening in the community,” he said.
The Secretary said, the presence of UIN students to carry out KKN is an honor for HSS. He claimed that the placement in the Loksado region is appropriate, because Loksado itself is an icon of HSS tourism. The KKN students are also expected to be able to interact with the wisdom of local residents, who still apply traditional lifestyle. However, in terms of communication and information, Loksado residents are no longer isolated.
“On behalf of the District Government of HSS, we express our gratitude to UIN Sunan Kalijaga and UIN Antasari Banjarmasin, that choose the HSS region as a place for KKN. Hopefully they can give benefits needed for the local community,” he said.
The students are also expected to adapt well to the traditional and religious customs of HSS community and respect the times of their worship by not making a fuss. The Loksado community is also still full of kinship and mutual cooperation in which most of the livelihoods are farmers and gardeners.