Education - its about learning, not about chasing degrees

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2...duates-91.html

Arya Dipa, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Archipelago | Tue, February 04 2014, 6:57 PM

Oldest doctoral student graduates at 91

Sitting in his wheelchair, Hermain Tjiknang, 91, smiled when he accepted his doctoral degree at Padjadjaran University (Unpad) in Bandung on Tuesday.
Hermain was also bestowed the additional honor of being the oldest doctorate graduate ever.
But it was not all plain sailing: It took the man, who was born in Muntok, Bangka, on June 22, 1922, five years to finish his studies.
“I had to revise my dissertation seven times,” said the father of five.
“I may be old, but I cannot stop studying. As a lecturer, I have to keep my mind fresh so as to share my knowledge with my students,” he said after the graduation ceremony, which was held at Grha Sanusi Hardjadinata.

His dissertation was called: “Perlindungan Hukum Atas Pekerja Alih Daya Berdasarkan Keadilan dalam Perselisihan Hubungan Industrial Akibat Pemutusan Hubungan Kerja Sepihak” (The Legal Protection of Outsourced Workers Based on Justice in Industrial Conflict after One-sided Layoffs).
No pain, no gain. Hermain was even hospitalized while struggling to finish his dissertation. “He had a heart attack and was rushed to the ICU [intensive care unit] twice,” said Suzanna Indrawati, 53, Hermain’s eldest child.

Suzanna said that her father’s heart attack was brought on the shock of thinking all the data on his flash disk was all gone.
Hermain was one of founders of the Pertiba Law Institute in Bangka in 1982, he is a lecturer of civil, criminal and international law and he started his career as a lawyer. He said he used to teach Indonesian soldiers during the Dutch colonial era.
He hoped that the young generation would continue to develop the country. “To make Indonesia a better country, we have to develop ourselves through education. I can already see that the current education system is much better than the Dutch colonial eara,” he added.
For his achievement, he earned a huge applause and a standing ovation from Unpad rector Ganjar Kurnia, lecturers as well as other graduates.
Before Hermain, the oldest doctoral graduate was Siti Maryam Salahuddin, who earned her doctoral degree when he was 83 in Nov. 2010.

Ganjar praised Hermain for his achievement. “I hope in the future, Unpad’s students are those who really want to learn and not just chasing a degree,” Ganjar said.


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