Located in Sumberputih Village, Wajak District, Malang Regency, the Doctoral Service Team at Universitas Brawijaya conducted a series of activities in the context of establishing an IT Boarding School Vocational School at Al-Quran Tahfid Islamic Boarding School. This activity is considered important, with the aim of developing villages and community groups to be more advanced and independent both socio-culturally and educationally as well as to provide assistance on market interest surveys in the establishment of IT Boarding School Vocational Schools at Al-Quran Tahfid Islamic Boarding Schools.
Doctoral Service Team consisting of Dr. Adji Achmad Rinaldo Fernandes, S.Si., M.Sc. as chairman, and Prof. Dr. Ir. Ni Wayan Surya Wardhani M.S., Dr. Ir. Solimun, MS., and Bayu Adi Kusuma, SP. MBA. as a member. The service team carried out a series of activities in assisting market surveys, which were intended to explore the conditions of interest in education so that they could make the right marketing strategy to get public interest so as to improve the quality of education and the economy.
Qualified and educated Human Resources (HR) is a potential that belongs to Wajak District area. This can be optimized to improve people’s welfare.
This market survey assistance activity obtained two market segments or community groups based on interest in the plan to establish an IT Boarding School Vocational School. Market segment 1 has a very high interest in improving education (to send children to school) and views communication and marketing programs in introducing IT Vocational High Schools as well. While market segment 2 has an interest in increasing education (to send children to school) and the marketing program is good, they think that the communication is not good (moderate).
In addition to the market survey used to find out the interest of the people of Sumberputih Village, Wajak District in improving education as a basis for establishing an IT Boarding School Vocational School, this market survey assistance activity was complemented by outreach to the community regarding the importance of education and the survey results that have been conducted. The socialization was attended by the community, religious leaders, and local educators. In addition, the head and village officials were also present as a form of support for the activities. Several specific things were conveyed by the doctoral service team listeners during the socialization related to the importance of children’s education and the establishment of schools as a form of effort to improve the quality of human resources or workforce to be better. The programs that will be provided by SMK IT are also conveyed to attract the public’s interest in registering their children when the school is already established. Everyone involved hopes that this activity can provide benefits to various parties, especially for the people of Sumberputih Village, Wajak District, Malang Regency.
After the activities were carried out, it was found that the majority of the community responded to the SMK IT development plan with a good response. Therefore, the plan can be realized well and there will be minimal rejection from the community around the boarding school. This result was also supported by the statement of one of the residents of Sumberputih Village when interviewed regarding the discourse on establishing an IT Boarding School Vocational School which expressed interest in this. “Agreed, because the establishment of this school also benefits the people here. Besides being able to improve the quality of education, it also makes it easier for us to send our children to school. So there is no need to go all the way to the city center.” Said one local resident. So, it can be concluded that it is indeed necessary to build educational facilities in the region.[fernandes/siti rahma/ Humas UB/ Trans. Iir]
