Three Indonesian Language for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) learners from Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) successfully passed the selection of the final round of the 2024 Handai Indonesia Festival. The three students from Cambodia are Ahmath Rasitin (storytelling competition), Kreyya Dany (storytelling competition), and Hgoli Amira (rhyming competition).
Based on an announcement from the Center for Language Development and Development of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 the three of them were declared qualified to take part in the final round which was held in Bali, on August 25-31, 2024.
UMSU Rector, Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, welcomed and appreciated the achievements of BIPA UMSU students. He admitted that he was proud that the three UMSU BIPA learners from Cambodia had made it through the final round of the international festival event, which BIPA students from various countries attended.
“Alhamdulillah, this is very proud. Three students from Cambodia, UMSU BIPA learners, passed the international event,” he said.
According to Prof. Agussani, this success can motivate and encourage other students to achieve other achievements in the future.
“Hopefully, this achievement can motivate and inspire other students to get the best results,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of BIPA UMSU, Dr. Cut Novita Srikandi, MHum, said that the three students previously participated in the selection of the 2024 Indonesian Handai Festival on March 28, 2024.
“Alhamdulillah, of the 6 (six) competitions that we participated in, UMSU BIPA learners passed for the storytelling and rhyming categories,” said Cut Novita Srikandi.
According to Cut, this success should be proud of because the three students competed from several foreign nationals in the world who sent their work to the festival committee. From the announcement reported from the BIPA Kemendikbud website, the winners who passed the selection included those from the US, Germany, Sudan, Peru, Bulgaria, Denmark, England, France, Poland to, African countries such as Rwanda, Tunisia and Egypt.
Accompanied by BIPA UMSU Director Dr. Muhammad Arifin and BIPA UMSU student trainers Yulhasni, Winona Emelia, and Mutya Febriana, BIPA UMSU Chair Cut Novita Srikandi said this achievement should make BIPA UMSU proud in particular and UMSU in general because it was able to reap world-class achievements.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Rector and the Vice Rectors of UMSU, especially WR III UMSU, who paid special attention to the participation of BIPA UMSU students in this world festival,” said Cut Novita Srikandi.
Separately, Ahmath Rasitin, one of the BIPA UMSU learners who made it through, said he was touched that they could pass this world-level selection.
This student from Cambodia said that for almost a month, BIPA UMSU specifically trained them to compete with a number of other foreign nationals in Bali. “Please pray and support. Hopefully, in Bali, we will be selected as winners,” Rasitin said.