TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Nadiem's campus reforms have yet to address student exploitation during internships

Interning students are overworked and underpaid – or sometimes not paid at all – at several firms in the country.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Jakarta
Tue, February 11, 2020 Published on Feb. 11, 2020 Published on 2020-02-11T12:24:13+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
University students are engrossed in an experiment in a campus laboratory. Students are expected to prove their competence but often become victims of workplace exploitation during internships. University students are engrossed in an experiment in a campus laboratory. Students are expected to prove their competence but often become victims of workplace exploitation during internships. (Antara/-)

W

hile getting praise for granting campus autonomy through the Kampus Merdeka (Independent Campus) policy, the Education and Culture Ministry has been criticized for failing to address student welfare during internships.   

After the Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) reforms aimed at schools, Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim debuted Kampus Merdeka, another liberating policy for higher education.

The minister issued five new ministerial regulations this year to accommodate four reforms in universities: autonomy for universities to establish new programs, easier requirements for state universities to become legal entities, a new accreditation system for higher education programs and students’ right to take up to three semesters studying outside of their program. The last regulation has drawn the most attention as it directly affects students.

The three-semester program is not mandatory. But any interested student can spend one semester in classes within other programs at the same university and can take two semesters to study outside campus through an internship, student exchange program, research opportunity or community service initiative.

The policy, however, has yet to address the safety of students during internships. The positions are prone to exploitation.

Prisa, whose name was changed for this report, was a fresh graduate from a campus in West Jakarta in 2017 when her lecturer offered her an internship at his new law firm in Jakarta.

“At first I applied because I wanted to learn and seek experience, but I was surprised by the workload. I was given real, tough cases to be solved on my own. Definitely not an intern job,” she told The Jakarta Post.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Nadiem's campus reforms have yet to address student exploitation during internships

Rp 35,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 35,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.