UNP Conducts FGD On The Establishment Of English Village In Nagari Sungai Nyalo, Towards World Class Tourism

A Focus Group Discussion was held by the Nagari Binaan Development Program (PPNB) team of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, chaired by Prof. Siti Fatimah at the Nagari Wali Office of Sungai Nyalo Mudiak Aie, Kab. Pesisir Selatan on Thursday, August 1, 2024. The plan to form an English village is the target of the UNP FIS PPNB team in collaboration with the community in advancing the tourism sector in Nagari Sungai Nyalo. As the largest source of regional income after the pandemic, the tourism sector in Nagari Sungai Nyalo must be international standard to serve foreign tourists. In addition, the English village can also be an educational tourist destination for domestic tourists.

The English Village program is a new idea to develop the potential of local residents to be able to speak English in the scope of tourism. In her speech, Prof. Siti Fatimah said the support from the community to build Sungai Nyalo as an English Village can realize the tourism sector based on sustainable tourism. She emphasized that the target of this program is the Sungai Nyalo community which is divided into several clusters as the main pioneer of the formation of the English village. Later the UNP team will try to present students as a teaching team to volunteer native speakers from Australia as facilitators in this English village program.

The FGD moderated by Evelynd, S.I.Kom., M.Comn.&MediaSt. as the PPNB team from the UNP Communication Science Study Program took place actively as a form of participation from all elements of society in Sungai Nyalo. The Head of the Education and Culture Office of Pesisir Selatan Regency, Sudirman, S.Pd., M.Pd. said that this English Village is expected to improve the economy and tourism potential in general in Pesisir Selatan Regency. 

The Wali Nagari Sungai Nyalo represented by the Nagari Secretary, Yandi Chandra, S.Pd said, “This program was made from us, for us and if not us then who else will realize it”. The same thing was also stated by the Chairman of the Nagai Sungai Nyalo Consultative Body. Head of SMPN 6 Sungai Nyalo, Drs. Arbais. M.Pd. in this FGD expressed his willingness and readiness of SMPN 6 Sungai Nyalo teachers to facilitate this program.

Teacher representatives expressed their aspirations in this FGD, hoping that students and teachers will be more active in using English in their daily lives. English language skills in elementary and junior high schools are still very minimal, so every educational staff, students, and the Sungai Nyalo community are expected to be able to work together to execute the English Village program in Nagari Sungai Nyalo. (Rizki)