Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang

Vice Rector I, Prof. Dr. Ir. Sujono, M.Kes hands over UMM almamater jacket as symbolic admission of their arrival to UMM

Thirty people from the United States (U.S.) this week begin to get education at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM). They are the volunteers who joined in the Peace Corps, a nonprofit corporation that has a big name in the U.S. For 10 weeks, the volunteers would follow Pre-Service Training program managed by UMM.

Assistant Rector for Foreign Affairs Cooperation UMM, Soeparto, explained that in the process of the training, the volunteers would be placed in various host houses in the villages of Batu City. The houses which are far from the city and other modern facilities were deliberately chosen because they would be trained to live in the rural environments in East Java, the place they would have service for two years later.

"There are no additional facilities in the houses. They live, eat, take a bath, and sleep with whatever facilities there. The goal is that would be able to adapt quickly before they are deployed to schools in remote villages in East Java, “explained Soeparto. After this training, the volunteers are scheduled to be released by the U.S. ambassador to be deployed in the villages; most of them would be English teachers in senior high schools and Madrasah Aliyah (Islamic senior high school).

The presence of the students from the U.S. was characterized by an embedding Alma mater jacket and hat of UMM students, on Friday (04/15). Vice Rector I, Prof. Dr. Ir. Sujono, M. Kes, said that UMM would truly care about the quality of service to foreign students, as serving local students. All the learning facilities are served properly, including the provision of trainers and facilitators. "Hopefully, during training at UMM, all will go well," he hoped.

This year is the second year of the Peace Corps to be sent to UMM. Last year, there were 19 people who had attended the same program and now they are currently located in remote areas to perform services. The Peace Corp pays them in Indonesian standard salary, Rp. 1.3 million. It is intended to make them truly serve and be a part of Indonesian society.

Before becoming volunteers, the Peace Corps participants are first selected in the U.S. The enthusiasts are convinced of the work and the field work which are different from what in the U.S. Not all the prospective volunteers can even pass and follow all the process of selection. This year, in fact there were 33 Americans who would participate, but there are only 30 who arrived in Malang. (nas/t_alf)