Purwokerto, 10 November 2024 – The Student Association of the D3 Bahasa Mandarin Study Programme (HUASHAN) of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman successfully held the “Mandarin Teaching 2024” program. This program was held on 5 November 2024 at SMK Bakti Purwokerto and 7 November 2024 at SMK Negeri 1 Purwokerto, with the aim of introducing Mandarin language and culture to secondary school students.
This activity is a form of community service initiated by the Student Association of the D3 Bahasa Mandarin Study Programme, aimed at providing vocational high school students with direct experience of learning Mandarin. Carrying the theme “Enhancing Foreign Language Competence for High-Achieving Generations,” this program involved students and lecturers as teachers and mentors.
On 5 November 2024, the activity at SMK Bakti Purwokerto was attended by students. The students enthusiastically took part in various learning sessions, including an introduction to basic Mandarin such as tone pronunciation, an introduction to Hanzi characters, and simple dialogues. Meanwhile, at SMK Negeri 1 Purwokerto on 7 November 2024, students took part in a similar activity packaged with interactive learning methods, such as educational games and simulations of daily conversation.
The Head of the Student Association of the D3 Bahasa Mandarin Study Programme stated that this program aimed not only to introduce Mandarin, but also to inspire vocational high school students about the importance of mastering foreign languages in the era of globalization. “We hope this activity can instill an interest in learning Mandarin from an early age and open their minds to the opportunities that can be achieved through mastering a foreign language,” she said.
The Head of the D3 Bahasa Mandarin Study Programme, Destyanisa Tazkiyah, S.S., M.Hum., also expressed appreciation for this activity. She stated that this program is concrete evidence of students’ contribution to advancing foreign language education in Purwokerto. “We fully support student initiatives and hope that activities like this can continue to be carried out in the future,” she said.
Positive responses also came from the schools. The principals of SMK Bakti Purwokerto and SMK Negeri 1 Purwokerto expressed their gratitude for the contribution of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman students. “This activity is very beneficial for our students, especially in broadening their knowledge of the Mandarin language,” said one of the principals.
With the successful implementation of “Mandarin Teaching 2024,” it is hoped that the relationship between the D3 Bahasa Mandarin Study Programme of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman and educational institutions in Purwokerto will grow even closer, and continue to create a positive impact on foreign language education in the region.