UIII Student Successfully Leads Mandalika National English Olympiad in Mataram

UIII, Depok - Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) proudly celebrates the achievement of one of its MA students in Education, Mahurni, who demonstrated exceptional leadership and organizational skills by successfully conducting the Mandalika National English Olympiad. Held on January 19-20, 2024, in Mataram, this event marked a significant milestone in promoting English proficiency among senior high school students across Indonesia.

Mahurni, besides his current status as an MA student at UIII, serves as the head of the language and training center at LPPNTB (Educational Development Institution of West Nusa Tenggara Province). He has an impressive academic background with a master’s degree in TESOL from Monash University, Australia, obtained in 2017. His dual role as a student and an educational leader exemplifies the commitment and versatility that UIII encourages in its students.

The Olympiad, held at the theater building of Taman Budaya Nusa Tenggara Barat, attracted a remarkable turnout with 367 participants registering for the event. The competition was fierce, and only 103 talented students advanced to the semi-final and grand-final stages. The primary objective of this Olympiad was to stimulate schools across the nation to enhance their students' English abilities, preparing them for higher education both domestically and internationally.

Mahurni elaborated that the main objective of this event was to encourage students to improve their English literacy and reading skills. There were three stages of this event. Stage 1 is for English literacy ability (according to SMA/SMK/MA Syllabus). Stage 2 is for Design Quiz Rank 1 (Reading Literacy 25% and English 75%). Stage 3 is critical review & presentation.

“The finalists are given 30 minutes to review an English article and then 10 minutes to present their analysis. Indirectly, finalists learn to carry out critical review of articles. They must analyze and provide criticism and ideas related to the issue. Plus, it's in English. So, we can immediately assess [their] English skills from the presentation. You can also assess whether participants understand the idea of the article from its flow and argumentation,” Mahurni explained.

This event highlights the importance of English proficiency in today’s globalized world and serves as a platform for students to showcase their linguistic talents. It also reflects UIII's ethos of encouraging its students to engage in initiatives that have a broader impact on the educational landscape in Indonesia. Mahurni has not only contributed to the advancement of English language proficiency among young Indonesians but has also set a shining example for other UIII students.

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