UNSRI’s PKM Program Promotes Polite Language Use Among Teachers and Students at South Sumatra State High Schools Through Social Media

The Community Service Program (PKM), involving faculty and students from the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Department at Sriwijaya University, was officially held at a public high school in South Sumatra. The program lasted for more than a month, from October 23 to November 29, 2025, featuring a series of activities focused on improving language skills for teachers and students.

The PKM program was officially opened in the school auditorium with opening remarks from representatives of the South Sumatra State High School and the UNSRI PKM team. Following the opening ceremony, the faculty members and students immediately went into the classrooms to begin the core program: training in language etiquette. This training was based on the research titled “Teacher Training and Student Mentoring at South Sumatra State High School to Improve Language Etiquette Through the Use of Social Media.”

The program was led by the Research Chair, Ms. Hani Atus Shalihah, M.Pd., in collaboration with other faculty members and PBSI students from UNSRI. In practice, the activities were not limited to in-person sessions at the school but were also expanded online through assignments given to students in a WhatsApp group. This blended approach was chosen to ensure that the mentoring could be more intensive and flexible.

Through this PKM, teachers received training on strategies for teaching polite language use, particularly in the context of students’ social media use. Meanwhile, students received direct guidance to practice polite communication skills, both in classroom interactions and in their daily digital posts and conversations. The participants’ enthusiasm was evident in their active engagement during training sessions, discussions, and project-based assignments.

Over the course of more than a month, the program was assessed as having a positive impact on participants. Teachers found the practical materials helpful, while students demonstrated improvements in their attitudes and the use of more polite language on social media. This aligns with the PKM’s goal of fostering a culture of polite language that is also relevant to digital developments.

The series of PKM activities concluded on November 29, 2025, with a closing ceremony held at the school. During the event, the PKM team recognized the participants, including the presentation of awards to the most active students throughout the program. This closing ceremony also marked the end of the collaboration between Sriwijaya University and South Sumatra State High School in their efforts to improve the quality of communication and polite language use within the school environment.