The Community Service (PKM) team of Graduate Program in Sociology, Universitas Muhammadiyah (Unismuh) Makassar held a Training for Integrating Character Values through Pancasila Student Profiles for Disabled Students. One of the outputs of the RisetMu Research Grant funding from the Muhammadiyah Council for Higher Education Research and Development (CHERD) was carried out at SLBN 1 Jalan Daeng Tata Parangtambung Makassar, last January.

The program was also attended by 30 children with disabilities and accompanied by their teachers, school principal, and other education personnels. Dr. Fatimah Azis MPd as Chairwoman of the PKM Team mentioned the aim of this activity was to improve integrative skills of character values through the Pancasila Student Profile in six components namely noble character, critical reasoning, global diversity, mutual cooperation, independence and creativity. “Children with disabilities are very vulnerable to the current social phenomena. Many of them have been bullied or experienced some violence cases,” she explained.

On the other hand, the Principal of SLBN 1 Makassar Andi Hamjan SPd MPd added that students who are fostered in his institution includes in 5 types of specialization, namely Blind Children, Deaf Children, Mentally Disabled Children, Physically Disabled Children and Autistic Children who need intensive treatment and assistance. “So, they can understand the values of good character, they can sort and choose behavior that is appropriate for them to get along with their surroundings, so they are not easily influenced by bad behavior in the society,” he said.

Andi also explained that the training program was very useful for the students in socializing both within the school and community. “It is very useful for the provision of students in socializing and interacting both within the school and in the community,” he added. He hoped that in the future, similar activities will be held with different topics from Unismuh Makassar lecturers.