UniKL Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (MITEC) held an educational visit to a reputable Islamic boarding school, Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor (PMDG), Indonesia from March 3 till 7, 2012.
Three staff, Nor Aini Abdul Rahman (HOS
General Studies), Jimisiah Jaafar (HOS Short Courses and Professional
Education), Ahmad Hisham Abdul Wahab (Executive, Student Affairs),
accompanied five young engineers and young executives (YE2) Jalilah
Samsudin (Bachelor of Quality Engineering), Nor Nabila Afandi (Bachelor
of Quality Engineering), Mohd Amirul Fauzi Abdul Ghani (Bachelor of
Industrial Logistics), Mohd Najib Abdul Wahab (Bachelor of Industrial
Logistics) and Mohd. Farid Muslan (Diploma in Industrial Logistics), to
explore how entrepreneurship activities provide sustainability to the
institute.
The YE2 were selected based on an
interview session. They must own a registered business with UniKL MITEC
and must be a member of Entrepreneurship Club.
Upon arrival at PMDG, participants were
received by three staff, Ustaz Sandy Abdullah Husein Abdullah, Ustaz
Tommy Alvanso and Ustaz Eko Nur Cahyo, former students of PMDG. The top
management of PMDG consists of Kiai Haji Abdullah Syukri Zarkasi, M.A.,
Kiai Hasan Abdullah Sanal, and Kiai Syamsul Hadi Abdan, S. Ag.
PMDG was established in 1926 and to
date, it has twenty thousand local and international students with
twenty branches all over Indonesia. The latest branch is currently being
developed in Riau. Local students come from all over Indonesia while
international students come from Malaysia, Thailand, middle-east and
Russia.
The teaching and learning activities at
PMDG are guided by five principles: sincerity, moderation, independence,
Islamic brotherhood, and independence. Its motto, politeness, physical
health, knowledgeable, and ability to think freely, are also translated
in its teaching and learning activities.
Because of the students’ diverse
background, lessons are taught in English and Arabic. Students who are
unable to speak both languages will be given intensive training and only
these two languages are allowed to be spoken on campus. The success of
the institute has attracted many visitors from all over the world to
learn how the institute is managed.
At the central administration centre,
Gontor Pusat, participants from UniKL MITEC were given a briefing by Dr
HAji Nurhadi Ihsan, Ustaz Mujiono Suparno and Ustaz Suraji Badi. Gontor
Pusat also hosts the male institute, Gontor Putra. After the briefing,
YE2 presented the background of UniKL, UniKL MITEC and their
entrepreneurial activities.
PMDG has many collaboration efforts with
local and international universities which enable them to send their
teaching staff abroad to further their studies at bachelor, master’s and
PhD levels and in turn accept international staff and students to do
research and internship. In order to prevent joblessness among
students, they are encouraged to work at PMDG once they finish their
studies.
The land on which PMDG campuses were
established was donated by individuals. Since the teaching staff is not
paid any salary, they live on campus and daily expensed are borne by the
institute. Without having financial support from Indonesian government
and to cope with administration costs, PMDG has its own paddy fields,
bakery, water and electricity resources, clothing factory, printing and
stationery shops, TV and radio stations, telecommunications facilities,
transportation services and accommodations for rent. Students studying
there pay a minimal fee and they are not allowed to buy any goods and
services from outside the institute in order to protect the businesses
run by the institute. Participants were then taken to the facilities
owned by the institute, classes and hostels.
The institute is located away from the
city to further prevent social problems among students. In addition,
male (Gontor Putra) and female institutes (Gontor Putri 1, 2 and 3) are
located one hundred kilometres away.
At female institutes, participants were
welcomed by principals Kiai Haji Muhammad Hudaya M.A. (Gontor Putri 3),
and Kiai Haji Dr Ahmad Hidayatullah Zarkasyi, M.A. (Gontor Putri 1).
Participants were also invited to attend student activities such as
English and Arabic public speaking competition and observe
entrepreneurial activities.
Overall, the visit was very successful
in promoting deeper entrepreneurship awareness among participants. They
were more motivated to implement what has been observed at PMDG so that
they will be less dependent on government assistance.
Reported by,
Nor Aini Abdul Rahman
UniKL MITEC
Sumber: http://www.unikl.edu.my/index.php/morenews/16-news/1025-unikl-mitec-visited-pondok-modern-darussalam-gontor-indonesia
