DENPASAR – PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID), the developer and management entity of the Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone (SEZ), continues to take an active role in supporting the education ecosystem in Serangan Village.
Through the BTID–Udayana Impactful Internship program, BTID is supporting SDN 2 Serangan and SDN 3 Serangan by facilitating the placement of internship students from the English Literature and Balinese Literature Study Programs at the Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Udayana University (Unud).
A total of 11 university students have begun teaching at the two elementary schools.
The students teach two subjects related to their respective university programs: English and Balinese. The internship runs for approximately four months, from August to November 2026.
Implementing the BTID–Udayana University Partnership
The initiative forms part of the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BTID and Udayana University.
Through the agreement, the two institutions collaborate in research, education, training, and human resource development. The institutional agreement has a three-year term beginning in 2024.
The initiative is also aligned with the spirit of Indonesia’s Impactful Internship Program (Magang Berdampak), which encourages university students to gain learning experiences beyond campus while contributing to real needs in the community.
The program creates an opportunity for students to connect their academic knowledge with practical, real-world experience.
Supporting Serangan Village’s Education Ecosystem
BTID Head of Communications Zefri Alfaruqy said the cross-institutional collaboration reflects the area’s commitment to supporting a more inclusive and equitable education ecosystem.
“We hope the presence of these university students can provide new inspiration and motivation for the children at SDN 2 and SDN 3 Serangan, while also giving the students an opportunity to develop their professional skills through real experience in the field,” Zefri Alfaruqy said.
The positive impact of the partnership is already being felt by the schools, particularly as they previously lacked specialized teachers for English and Balinese.
Sentanu, a teacher representative from SDN 2 Serangan, said the student teachers had provided valuable support.
“We feel extremely supported. Our school currently does not have dedicated teachers with backgrounds in English Literature or Balinese, so classroom teachers have to cover several subjects. The support from these university students not only eases our workload but also brings new knowledge and fresh energy that makes the children very excited to learn,” Sentanu said.
His comments were also supported by Ibu Agung, another teacher at SDN 2 Serangan.
Both educators expressed their hope that the teaching support program can continue in the future.
Students Gain First-Hand Teaching Experience
For the internship participants, the program has also opened new perspectives and provided direct professional experience.
Ni Putu Risty Sedani and Taqiyya Firzanah, student representatives from the Faculty of Humanities at Udayana University, shared their experiences teaching elementary school students.
“At first, I had never imagined myself teaching at an elementary school. I am very grateful that BTID provided this teaching internship because it gives us valuable experience while also helping the teachers here,” Risty and Taqiyya said.
Another participant, known as Bella, also described her first experience as a teacher.
“I had never taught before. Here, I immediately began teaching full time from Grades 1 to 6, and I experienced firsthand how demanding it is to be a teacher. For me, this has been an extraordinary experience,” Bella said.
Providing Valuable Feedback for University Curriculum Development
From an academic perspective, Udayana University Academic Supervisor Alit Ida said the initiative creates value not only for the students and schools but also for the university.
“This internship program is very good and beneficial, not only for the students but also for the university. Through the students’ interactions with the development area and the schools, we receive direct feedback from users,” Alit Ida said.
According to him, feedback from schools and industry stakeholders can provide valuable input for higher education evaluation and development.
“This is extremely valuable for our accreditation process and future curriculum improvements, helping ensure that our programs remain increasingly relevant to industry needs,” he added.
Through the implementation of the Impactful Internship Program, BTID remains committed to growing alongside the surrounding community.
The Kura Kura Bali SEZ will continue to create opportunities for collaboration with educational institutions and other stakeholders to support the quality of education for future generations in Serangan.
Source: Atnews
