Abstract

The Indonesian government is currently focused on improving the quality of Human Resources (HR), particularly in the fields of science and technology, to address the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0. In response, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendik budristek) launched the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) policy through Permendikbud No. 3 of 2020, reinforced by Permendik budristek No. 53 of 2023. This policy encourages universities to develop flexible curricula, allowing students to take learning experiences outside their study programs for up to three semesters. One of the MBKM initiatives is the Teaching Assistant Program (Kampus Mengajar), where students contribute to strengthening literacy, numeracy, and technology application in partner schools, including those in remote areas.
This study analyzes the implementation of the Teaching Assistant Program at SD Negeri Masangankulon, Sidoarjo, focusing on improving the learning quality of 5th- grade students in subjects such as Bahasa Indonesia, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies (IPAS), and Civics (PKN). The research method includes participatory observation, learning mentoring, and competency-based evaluation. The results show an increase in student motivation, mastery of literacy and numeracy, and creativity in the learning process. Student participants also experienced improvements in pedagogical skills, environmental adaptation, and social awareness. The main challenges include technological infrastructure gaps in partner schools and the need for intensive mentoring by supervising lecturers.
This study recommends strengthening the program through: (1) pre-participation training for students, (2) collaboration with local education offices, and (3) the use of digital technology to support learning. With optimal implementation, the Teaching Assistant Program not only contributes to educational equity but also prepares students to become competent and character-driven future leaders.