(Unila): In the midst of busy final assignments and multiple academic competitions, Benaya, a student in the Mathematics Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) University of Lampung (Unila), earned a proud achievement.
He successfully won 1st place in the National Mathematics Essay Competition (Lemnas) in the 2025 UPI Mathematics Student Echo (GMM) event, beating finalists from various state and private universities in Indonesia.
GMM is an annual event held by the Indonesian Education University (UPI), covering various competition branches such as Lemnas, Mathematics Quiz (CCM), and Mathematics Smart Skill (CTM).
This competition was designed to improve the quality of mathematics education, from elementary to high school. Registration and submissions were open from October 1–21, 2025.
The five best essays will be announced on November 5, followed by a final presentation on November 29, and finally the winner was announced on November 30, 2025.
This year’s Lemnas GMM UPI held a major theme: “The Role of Statistics in Revealing Social Inequality in Indonesia.” The theme immediately caught Benaya’s attention.
“This is an essay competition, and the theme perfectly aligns with my interests,” he said. With his essay, “Reading the Story Behind the Numbers: Uncovering Indonesia’s Social Inequality Through an Interactive Dashboard Through the Lens of the SDGs,” Benaya offered an unconventional idea.
Instead of presenting complex statistical analysis, he presented an interactive dashboard as an integrated visual media to read social inequality from various aspects ranging from poverty, education, to other SDGs indicators.
“Social inequality doesn’t stand alone. The SDGs are interconnected. This dashboard allows us to view the issue from multiple angles, like a car dashboard, where everything is connected and can be read simultaneously,” he explained.
According to Benaya, simple and easy-to-understand media can actually help lay readers understand data, while policy remains the domain of the government and stakeholders.
The process of writing this essay was not without its challenges. Amidst working on his final project and participating in other competitions such as On Mipa and the Algebra competition, time management became a major obstacle.
“When I’m stuck on my final assignment, I redirect my time to essays or other competitions,” he said. This strategy actually helps him stay productive and maintains his academic enthusiasm.
Benaya’s approach is simple yet powerful: identify a problem and then offer a practical solution. He also includes a prototype interactive dashboard to demonstrate that the idea is realistic and can be further developed.
The moment the winner was announced was an emotional experience. “I’m proud to represent Unila at the national level. I’m so grateful, and praise God, to have won first place, beating out my colleagues from UPI, Teknokrat, and other universities,” he said.
For him, this victory was not just a trophy, but proof that regional students are also capable of competing and demonstrating quality.
This achievement is inextricably linked to the contributions of many individuals. Benaya cited the guidance of Unila’s Mathematics lecturer, Dr. Bernadhita Herindri Samodera Utami, S.Si., M.Sc., as well as the support of his family and campus community as crucial factors in his journey.
Going forward, the interactive dashboard concept remains open to further development, whether as further research, a web-based platform, or collaboration with specific institutions to support the achievement of the SDGs at the regional level. However, for now, Benaya is focused on completing his final project.
Concluding his story, Benaya delivered a simple yet empowering message for other students to not hesitate to take the leap. He believes that the courage to try is the key to every achievement.
“Don’t be afraid to try. If we don’t try, we’ll never know. Don’t be so quick to say ‘I can’t’ before proving it. Give it a try, and show that we deserve the best,” he said. [Muzamil Kakar]
