By: Marcus Daramu*
The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) continues to show its commitment to producing a superior young generation through the construction of Nusantara Student Dormitories (AMN) in a number of regions in Indonesia. Currently, AMN’s development is focused on Manado, North Sulawesi, which is expected to become a forum for developing students from various regions in Indonesia and preparing them to become national leaders with character and a national outlook.
The construction of AMN Manado is one of the many AMNs built by BIN throughout Indonesia. AMN Manado was designed with a modern dormitory concept equipped with various supporting facilities, such as classrooms, libraries, laboratories, sports fields and places of worship. Apart from that, AMN Manado will also implement a comprehensive coaching system, which includes academic, moral and national insight coaching.
AMN Manado, which is an initiation of BIN, also involves various parties in its development, such as the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Sam Ratulangi University, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. AMN Manado certainly provides a golden opportunity for students from various backgrounds in Indonesia to develop their potential.
AMN was built based on Presidential Decree Number 106 of 2021, AMN aims to foster a sense of love for the nation and prepare quality human resources with integrity. BIN, led by Police General (Ret.) Prof. Dr. Budi Gunawan, carries out national development for students who are members of AMN.
Meanwhile, the construction of the AMN was motivated by proposals from 61 Papuan and West Papuan figures, who conveyed these aspirations directly to the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo on 10 September 2019 at the State Palace, resulting in the issuance of Presidential Decree 106 of 2021 concerning the AMN, which was then announced for its construction in 6 locations in Indonesia, namely the cities of Surabaya, Yogyakarta, DKI Jakarta, Malang, Makassar and Manado.
Director of Strategic Infrastructure, Directorate General of Human Settlements, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), Ir. Essy Asiah, explained that AMN construction in Manado was still ongoing and development progress would continue to be monitored so that it went according to plan. Essy encourages contractors to make a work checklist every week and calculate the need for workers in each building in the AMN Manado area. He added that AMN’s presence in Manado was a continuation of a similar program that had been successfully implemented in Surabaya.
On the other hand, Assistant Chancellor 1 of Sam Ratulangi University Manado, Prof. Dr. Ir. Grevo Soleman Gerung, expressed his full support for the realization of AMN Manado. With direction and guidance from the Ministry of Education and Culture, Unsrat Manado is committed to providing maximum support for the development of the AMN.
Students who will occupy AMN Manado can come from various sources, including Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) scholarship recipients through the Achievement Based National Selection (SNBP) and Test Based National Selection (SNBT) at Unsrat. However, Prof. Grevo Gerung emphasized that selection would still be carried out considering the limited quota at AMN Manado. Meanwhile, the quota for the Papua Adik Program route is still under discussion, where in 2023 Unsrat will accept 70 Papuan students through this route.
Apart from focusing on developing talents and interests, AMN Manado is also a forum for social and soft skills development . Systemized AMN encourages interaction and collaboration between students from various regions with diverse cultural backgrounds. This not only enriches insight but also fosters a sense of unity and solidarity as part of the Indonesian nation. Character development in the dormitory includes national values, tolerance and a spirit of mutual cooperation which are important foundations for future leaders.
With the various facilities and programs provided, AMN Manado plays an important role in creating a young generation who is ready to lead and contribute to the nation. Through this effort, BIN as the initiator hopes to produce future leaders who are not only intelligent and skilled, but also have strong character and a strong national outlook.
Previously, Special Staff to the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), Antonius Benny Susetyo or Romo Benny, expressed his views regarding the presence of AMN in Manado. According to Father Benny, AMN is very worthy of being a place to cadre the nation’s future leaders. The construction of AMN Manado is considered ideal because it will not only be filled by students from Manado, but also from various other regions in Indonesia.
Father Benny is also optimistic that AMN will become an important program to produce an inclusive, superior generation. Collaboration through inclusive education like this is considered very necessary to improve the quality of human resources with character.
Great hopes are placed on the younger generation who will live at AMN Manado in the future. Students are expected to be able to integrate the knowledge, skills and values obtained during their education on campus and in the dormitory to face global challenges and contribute significantly to the nation’s progress. It is hoped that the dormitory environment that facilitates interaction between students from various regions can strengthen national unity and unity, producing future leaders with integrity and tolerance.
In the future, AMN Manado will become one of the foundations for the formation of a dynamic, innovative and highly competitive student community. AMN alumni will be ready to lead Indonesia into a new era that is more advanced and competitive on the international stage. Thus, the construction of AMN Manado is an important investment for a brighter future for the Indonesian people.
*The author is an educational activist from Manado, North Sulawesi
