Transforming Rural Young Higher Education Aspirations through Community Engagement in a Migration Culture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56832/edu.v6i2.2913Kata Kunci:
Higher Education Aspirations, Culture of Migration, Community Engagement, Social Mobility, Community-Based EducationAbstrak
Previous studies show that low aspirations for higher education in rural areas stem from economic constraints and limited information access, yet research remains largely diagnostic, with few studies testing community-based interventions. A culture of migration, where youth leave home regions for work, reinforces the perception that employment yields income faster than further education. This study aims to reconstruct rural youth's higher education aspirations through education rooted in community engagement. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, it involves rural youth, parents, community leaders, and university students as educational partners. Data were collected through observation, interviews, focus group discussions, and documentation. Results show the approach deepens adolescents' understanding of higher education's importance, broadens knowledge of scholarships and career opportunities, and shifts their orientation from immediate post-school employment toward higher education. Community involvement also strengthens social support for their educational choices. The originality of this study lies in developing a perspective on reconstructing educational aspirations that positions community engagement as a mechanism for negotiating the cultural norm of migration towards the potential for social mobility through higher education. Theoretically, it expands the discourse on educational aspirations by framing the community as an agent of change shaping future orientations. Practically, it offers a community-based educational model adoptable by village governments, schools, and higher education institutions to broaden educational access and foster social mobility in rural communities.Referensi
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