UNAIR NEWS - Students of Community Service Program (KKN) Learning with Community (BBK) Period 67 Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) created a program that focuses on children with special needs in Karangpring 2 Village, Jember Regency. Students participate in filling and helping Star Kids Sekolah Luar Biasa (special schools) in Karangpring Village, Sukorambi District, Jember Regency. 

Learning Together

Head of KKN BBK Karangpring 2 Monika Astria Br Gultom stated that her group carried out various activities. Especially researching the characteristics of special school education more deeply at SLB Star Kids. The activity took place on (19/12/2023). They included toy donations, gymnastics, learning, and playing with the children. 

"We donated toys to SLB children as an effort to develop motor skills. Then, we invite them to play games such as morning gymnastics, learning together, and small games that aim to get closer to the children," he said. 

Children with special needs certainly have their own handling of learning something new. The presence of KKN students can be an effort to improve the limited interaction of SLB students. In addition, it is an effort to enhance children's motor skills through various games. 

"With our presence, we can make them meet new people. From this activity we also want to support and reach out to them so that they can know that there are many people who they consider strangers is also care about them," he said. 

Inviting Children with Special Needs to Learn at SLB Star KIds 

Monika revealed that Karangpring Village still has a low participation rate. This is especially true for children with special needs who receive special education. Introduction to special education is still relatively lacking. Including financial fears.

The Karangpring 1 and 2 groups collaborated to initiate learning and playing together and socializing the importance of education for children with special needs. The targets are 4 hamlets. They are Gendir, Durjo, Karangpring and Kerajan. 

"The village provided us with data related to the names and home addresses of each child with special needs in Karangpring Village. Then, we went to the children's homes with each local hamlet head and invited parents and children personally from house to house," said the student, who is familiarly called Momo. 

In Karangpring Village, many parents still have children with special needs but are reluctant to send their children to school. Therefore, the two groups wanted the native children of Karangpring Village to experience learning and playing with their peers at SLB Star Kids. 

In addition, the BBK KKN students facilitated parents who have children with special needs to participate in socialization related to the importance of education for these children. The activity was also an effort to introduce the environment and special education for parents and children.

"The children were very enthusiastic about the activity. Although, we also try to adapt so that they can also understand every explanation or rule that we give," he said. 

On the other hand, Karangpring 1 Group Chair Angga Ragil Pangestu said that he hoped that the understanding of schools for children with special needs would be more channeled and conveyed to all levels of society. So, from this, people do not underestimate children with disabilities. 

"Also consider education is a right for all children regardless of the shortcomings they have," he said. 

Writer: azhar burhanuddin 

Editor: Feri Fenoria

Source: https://alumni.unair.ac.id/site/article/read/1974/mahasiswa-kkn-unair-fokuskan-program-ke-peyan.html