VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Gadjah Mada University's rectorate has expressed its readiness to support the implementation of Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim's independent campus policy.

The policy that the minister recently announced is a new learning pattern in Indonesia's higher education, UGM Rector Panut Mulyono said in a statement that ANTARA received in Yogyakarta on Sunday.

Therefore, in meeting the policy's demanded goals, UGM would improve and make a necessary adaptation to such things as curriculum, teaching staff, and information system, he said.

"I hope that UGM will become a leader and trendsetter in the transformation of Education 4.0," Panut Mulyono said.

The minister's independent campus policy has paved the way for the university students in Indonesia to have rights to take courses outside their major program, and for shifting the definition of credit units.

Meanwhile, the UGM authority has translated the concept of freedom to learn by giving those responsible for managing study programs a greater room for innovation, Head of UGM's Innovation and Academic Research Center Hatma Suryatmojo said.

The innovation in managing the study programs was demanded for improving the students' global competencies through various latest courses offered to them, he said.

Among the offered courses are the ones related to digital transformation;  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), SDGs, soft skills, and 21st Century Competencies, Suryatmojo said.

The freedom to learn has also provided the university authority with opportunities for developing internship and immersion programs by collaborating with professionals, UGM's graduates, practitioners, and UGM's strategic partners.

"Thus, Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim's policies on freedom to learn and independent campus are regarded as an opportunity and relevant to what the UGM's curriculum team has been working," he said.

In response to the demands of changing era at local, regional, and global levels, the UGM authority has actually made continuous efforts to make a necessary adaptation and innovation for its curricular.

In 2016, UGM, for instance, launched a framework of curriculum foundation to be adopted as a guideline for developing curricular in all of its study programs, he added.

ANTARA noted that the implementation of Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim's freedom to learn policy in compulsory education focuses on student performance assessments, classroom teaching plans, and school zoning. (ANTARA)

Indonesia's Lion Air revealed on Sunday that seven passengers of its JT-2742 flight leaving from Changsha's Huanghua International Airport in Hunan Province, China, to Manado in North Sulawesi Province had been confirmed free from coronavirus symptoms.

The Lion Air management had been notified by the Sam Ratulangi International Airport's health authority that the passengers from Changsha did not suffer the coronavirus symptoms, Lion Air's Spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro said.

The Lion Air aircraft's JT-2742 departed from Huanghua International Airport for Manado on Saturday at 02.40 p.m. local time by carrying 176 passengers and seven crew members, he said in a statement that ANTARA received here on Sunday.

"The flight has actually been prepared well. Before the departure, all crew members and passengers have got a thorough medical examination," he said, adding that the airplane arrived at Manado on Saturday at 07.59 p.m. local time.

Prihantoro said the airport's health workers conducted their medical examination when the crew members and passengers were still inside the aircraft or before disembarking.

"This is an endeavor to ensure the safety, security, and comfortability of both passengers and crew members," he added.

As of Sunday, the coronavirus has claimed the lives of 56 people in China, and many other countries, including the United States of America and Canada, have announced their confirmed cases.

However, none of confirmed cases has been found in Indonesia. Apart from this reality, since the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its official statement on the outbreak of coronavirus in China, the Indonesian Government has stayed alert.

As part of its precautionary measures, thermal scanners have been installed at various airports around the archipelago for screening international passengers.

The thermal scanners are aimed at detecting any foreign tourist suffering from the symptom of this novel (new) coronavirus.

The Authority of the state-owned airport operator, PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) at Sam Ratulangi International Airport has also strengthened precautionary measures by installing a thermal scanner.

The foreign tourist arrivals were also given health alert cards because North Sulawesi Province has become one of the favorite destinations for foreign travelers, particularly those from China.

The inflow of Chinese travelers into North Sulawesi through the Sam Ratulangi International Airport could be categorized "high" while China was the source of the virus, Sam Ratulangi International Airport's Spokesperson Angga Maruli said.

The first case of coronavirus was declared by Chinese authorities after a person with pneumonia was hospitalized in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, according to an official statement of WHO.

As published in its official statement on January 9, 2020, WHO revealed that the "Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample."

As for the outbreak of the coronavirus, ANTARA quoted a WHO report from its official website on Thursday as saying that it was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan on December 31, 2019. (ANTARA)

Italy's far-right firebrand Matteo Salvini is facing a setback after his League Party looks set to be beaten by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in a closely watched election in the country's north.

The left has governed Emilia-Romagna since the end of World War Two.

Mr Salvini focused on the area ahead of Sunday's local election.

But an exit poll for state television is showing a narrow win for the PD, taking between 49% and 51% of the vote.

Mr Salvini's League looked on course to take 43% to 45%. Final results are expected in the early hours of Monday.

The election had been seen as a test of the national coalition government, in which the populist Five Star Movement joined forces with the PD after Mr Salvini pulled his party out of office in what was seen as a tactical blunder.

But Mr Salvini's anti-immigration party failed to take the long-time leftist stronghold.

"Emilia-Romagna has sent a signal. Salvini knows how to talk about problems, but he doesn't know how to sort them out and the people have responded," said PD leader Nicola Zingaretti.

However, Mr Salvini and his allies look set to beat the PD in another regional election in the southern region of Calabria, according to exit polls. (BBC)

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi is scheduled to inspect the operation of runway 3 and east cross taxiway at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport west of Jakarta on Sunday evening.

"The transportation minister will see for himself the movement of planes during takeoff and landing at the runway 3 and east cross taxiway at Soekarno-Hatta Airport to ensure that the facility functions well," Chief of Communication and Public Information Bureau of the Transportation Ministry Hengki Angkasawan,said here on Sunday.

The runway 3 which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Thursday (Jan 23) has been operational since late 2019.

It is believed that the runway which is 3,000 meters long and 60 meters wide will help smooth movement of planes during takeoff and landing.

The runway 3 is important to cater to the growing number of planes and passengers at the airport.

"Based on a report from state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, since the runway 3 and east cross taxiway began operating late last year, the number of planes using the runway during the Christmas and New Year holidays rose to 100 per hour from 80 per hour," he said.

During the inauguration of four facilities at the airport by President Jokowi some time ago, the minister said the presence of several facilities including runway 3 and east connection taxiway has benefited airline companies including national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

On the safety side, the presence of the runway 3 will improve flight safety as the runway for takeoff is separated from the runway for landing. (ANTARA)