Education in the Manado Archipelago Student Dormitory (AMN) instills the importance of young people having a strong national character in their growth and development.
Instilling the importance of the nation’s next generation or young people so that they have a strong national character is essential because this will foster a sense of love for the Motherland in young people.
If the young generation succeeding the nation already has a high sense of love for the country, thanks to having a strong national character, then it is not impossible that it will also have a positive impact on the development and progress of this country.
Regarding the importance of instilling national character from as early as possible to the next generation of the nation, Professor of Sufism at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Usman Ismail said that if the youth’s national insight is very firmly ingrained, then in the future if they become leaders they will clearly respect their nation more.
Moreover, in the period from 2025 to 2045, many parties predict that Indonesia will experience a demographic bonus, which means that the productive age group will become the largest age group in the country when compared to other age groups.
At that time, it was clear that national insight and strengthening national character were very important, not only to advance this country, but also to ensure that the entire society became more solid.
If, for example, today there is a baby who has just been born, then in the next 20 years he will already be a teenager. If there are teenagers today, then in the next 20 years they will already be leaders of the nation.
Therefore, it is very important for today’s young people to be able to have an open, creative, innovative and communicative mindset in looking at all problems, including in this nation itself and globally.
National insight is a very important thing for young people to master, considering the huge territory in Indonesia, and also the large population of this nation and the diversity of cultures within the country.
With strong knowledge of nationality, it is not impossible that the young generation who will succeed the nation will be much stronger in maintaining the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
Head of the State Intelligence Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BIN RI) as the initiator in the development of AMN Manado, Police General (Ret.) Prof. Dr. Budi Gunawan said that the presence of this dormitory was the center for the birth of future national leaders.
How could it not be, because the existence of the Nusantara Student Dormitory itself is able to give birth to various future leaders of the nation who have high competitiveness, then have the spirit to defend the country, a strong sense of nationality within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and continue to be loyal to Pancasila and The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.
The development of AMN Manado is a forum for uniting students from various ethnicities, languages, cultures and religions, all of whom come from various regions in Indonesia and also from various universities.
For its management, especially in order to continue to instill national character in young people, the Nusantara Student Dormitory continues to provide guidance to all its residents through various related ministries or institutions such as the Ministry of Education and Culture, BIN, BPIP, TNI, Polri, Ministry of Youth and Sports and also the relevant Regional Government.
Meanwhile, the State Intelligence Agency itself is the leading sector in the national development program for students living in AMN Manado as future leaders of the nation.
The coaching program that BIN provides in AMN itself is a forum that can reflect the beauty of diversity in Indonesia, behind the various differences of each student who will occupy the building.
The development program itself involves increasing competency and understanding of national insight, Pancasila student character, national defense, entrepreneurship, leadership and pioneering.
Meanwhile, the Director of Strategic Infrastructure, Directorate General of Human Settlements, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), Ir. Essy Asiah said that the aim of building the Nusantara Student Dormitory in Manado was indeed as a forum to unite the younger generation from various ethnicities, languages, cultures and religions.
They all come from various regions in Indonesia and also from various universities in order to prepare quality human resources (HR), with integrity and strong national character.
It is very important for the young generation to succeed the nation, so that they all have a strong national character embedded in them. AMN Manado continues to provide this through various coaching and education programs.