UNAIR NEWS – There are around 1800 Medical Specialist Education Program (PPDS) students of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) undergoing practices in some hospitals in Surabaya. This condition is certainly different from other students who study online from home.
For this reason, UNAIR provides some regulation regarding payment of Single Tuition Fees (UKT). It was revealed by UNAIR Rector Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, SE., MT, Ak., CMA through a press release on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. He said that PPDS students involved in Covid-19 handling would get a 50 percent UKT incentives.
“We (UNAIR, ed) have prepared the procedure to all students who want to apply for UKT reduction, please send a letter and include the reasons. If there are specific and actual reasons, we will reduce it, “said Prof. Nasih.
Prof. Nasih continued, the incentive was given not because of UKT reduction but considering the activities of PPDS students directly involved with Covid-19 handling.
In his opinion, the PPDS student education is different from the others. The hospital, he continued, is a learning laboratory for PPDS students. Prof. Nasih said that the more cases proven, the better one’s competence is tested.
Because of that skill, the teaching model of medical education is also different from students in other faculties. So the relationship or interaction between students and educators are different.
Prof. Nasih continued, during the Covid-19 pandemic as it is today, there were two dilemmas. First, UNAIR continues to participate in handling Covid-19. Secondly, UNAIR also tries to protect the health and safety of PPDS students.
“PPDS friends with health problems, have comorbidities and at high risk of contracting Covid-19, we recommend to take time off without having to pay UKT,” he said.
He added, if applying for academic leave in the context of Covid-19, PPDS students do not need to pay UKT. Academic leave is also not included in the calculation of maximum leave limits.
“We want to make sure that PPDS students are safe with complete and high-quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when handling Covid-19,” he concluded. (*)
Author: Erika Eight Novanty
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
