Some of the committees that once held seminars, public discussions, and the like, said that they were always anxious about holding an event. The problem is, the event that was really very useful, even minimal participants. Many seats are empty. The people present were only filling the seats in the back row. In the front row left empty.

There are still other sad scenes. When it's time for discussion or question and answer, almost no one asks. The participants are quiet as if they have understood or the program is very unattractive. In fact, in other regions there is not enough time for discussion so that it continues after the event is over or when lunch is in progress.

On campus, the condition was tricked by requiring students to attend and attendance usually in the classroom, applied at the venue. Well, in the holiday period a solution like that can't be done. In many events, the committee was embarrassed because the number of participants present did not meet the target.

Of course that was not a general description, and could not be convicted that scientific activities were not popular in Aceh so there were minimal participants. That building intellectual culture such as discussions, book reviews, and seminars, indeed requires a long struggle, including on campus which is the center of intellectual development.

The public must also be aware that learning opportunities can be in the past, anytime, even for free. In other cities, in other countries, such activities sometimes have to pay, here sometimes even free are minimal participants.

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Image source: 1, 2

*INDONESIA*

Kegiatan Ilmiah tak Populer di Aceh?

Beberapa panitia yang pernah menggelar acara seminar, diskusi publik, dan sejenisnya, mengaku selalu was-was setiap mau menggelar acara. Masalahnya, acara yang sesungguhnya sangat berguna itu, malah minim peserta. Kursi banyak yang kosong. Orang yang hadir pun hanya mengisi kursi di barisan belakang. Di barisan depan dibiarkan kosong.

Masih ada pemandangan lain yang menyedihkan. Ketika tiba waktunya diskusi atau tanya jawab, hampir tidak ada yang bertanya. Peserta banyak diam seolah sudah mengerti atau acaranya sangat tidak menarik. Padahal, di daerah lain tidak cukup waktu untuk diskusi sehingga berlanjut setelah acara selesai atau ketika makan siang sedang berlangsung.

Di kampus, kondisi itu diakali dengan mewajibkan mahasiswa hadir dan absensi yang biasanya di ruang kelas, diberlakukan di tempat acara. Nah, di masa liburan solusi seperti itu tidak bisa dilakukan. Dalam banyak acara, panitia menjadi malu karena jumlah peserta yang hadir tidak sesuai target.

Tentu saja itu bukan gambaran umum, dan tidak bisa divonis bahwa kegiatan ilmiah tidak populer di Aceh sehingga minim peserta. Bahwa membangun budaya intelektual seperti diskusi, bedah buku, dan seminar, memang membutuhkan perjuangan panjang, termasuk di kampus yang menjadi pusat perkembangan intelektual.

Masyarakat juga harus sadar bahwa kesempatan belajar itu bisa di mana saja, kapan saja bahkan secara gratis. Di kota lain, di negara lain, kegiatan seperti itu terkadang harus membayar, di sini terkadang gratis pun minim peserta.

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