“As soon as I entered the
school yard, the children came to hold my hands. They greet me and share
their nicest smiles. I have never had such experience during my
childhood! I will definitely take different roads if I coincidently
crossing the roads that my teacher is passing. In school, it was worst, I
almost believe that I am genetically stupid and that I will never be
able to read. The teachers were so mean, they called us stupid, name our
ancestors primitive, I drop out as soon as I reach second grade,” said
Alianus, A Yali guy from a Yahukimo region of Papuan highland.
He stopped for a while, as he could not continue talking to us.
“However, I was lucky enough that my mom allowed me to get out of my
village, I went to Nabire, I became a household assistant, lived with a
married couple from Makassar and Menado. They paid my school fee,
although sometimes I was fed rotten nasi and had to work almost
the whole hours after school time. Finally I graduated high school,
with very minimum reading skill. I then heard that a faith based school
opens a college where they teach English and Leadership in Bokondini.
Some folks there, even do not have to pay. I join the college and I am
lucky enough now that I work for the primary school that runs by one of
the expat lecturer as the hydro electric mechanic. I know how to deal
with electric power; that basically what my speciality is now”.
Alianus is just one of few highlanders of Papuan regions who is lucky enough to continue education with continuous struggles. Although facing barriers and not simple obstacles, he insists of staying in education. Other fellow youngsters at Alianus age, were maybe have died of HIV/AIDS. Many of the girls are forced to trade sex for graduating from highschool and expects that the government will recruit them as PNS (Civil servant).
This picture can easily be found in many of the highlanders of Papua. Two of the schools I visited with the team several days ago, effectively having teachers teaching by last November 2010. The rest of it, the school simply close! What more ironic is that the teachers themselves are sometimes could not READ. Even if they can, their education capacity only reach the level of third grade students in Sumatera or Java. I had the chance to talk to one of the teacher who is actually living just across the school. She mentioned that the students are stupid, nasty and hard to control. So she found out that education is not an effective way of transferring better social capital, and yet, she is receiving monthly salary out of her status as PNS teacher!
My supervisor really challenges me of an insane situation. For a second, I thought that I would leave the program. But then I know that, and I believe that, in every society, you can always find bad people and good people at the same time. Then I met Alianus and this so generous, humble and dedicated expatriate who opens a school in that environment. He has been running the school for almost two years now. Although it is a faith based school, students coming from different faith background are actually accessing the school without necessarily need to lost their identities. The school environment is very nice, the school people are gentle, they have passion on children and education, and they are very open minded. I observe the classrooms, I found students work displayed, their teaching materials some were made of papuan leaves or rocks, and the teachers are all Papuan. I notice that the teachers are not so handful of teaching skill and methodology yet, but they are keen to learn, and that is the key! The attitude, the commitment, the plan, the structure! At least, particular number of children are accessing such quality education regardless their condition. Number of parents start to think that ijazah is not the objectives of an education. So, I am quite happy with that, and looking forward to expanding such services to more papuan highland children.
Jayawijaya highland, really opens my eyes that in a society where is only 400 kilometers away of the capital of the province, still facing such challenges. Although it is a new decentralized territory (kabupaten), education system functions zero, health service absent, high malnutrition indicators, people are so depressed out of freedom issue, and so on.
I will share you another part of my suspicion about fr**dom issue, which is so political and that is so frustrating both for local government and the communities. But that will be another chapter of my story. For now, I only feel that I am so blessed to experience such phenomenon myself and am so keen on doing something for that society, for whatever capacity that I have.
”Thousand dumbs will only ruin system, but ten brave hearts will make change! I believe!” “Be thankful of what you have and complain less!”
Wamena, 15 May 2011.
Alianus is just one of few highlanders of Papuan regions who is lucky enough to continue education with continuous struggles. Although facing barriers and not simple obstacles, he insists of staying in education. Other fellow youngsters at Alianus age, were maybe have died of HIV/AIDS. Many of the girls are forced to trade sex for graduating from highschool and expects that the government will recruit them as PNS (Civil servant).
This picture can easily be found in many of the highlanders of Papua. Two of the schools I visited with the team several days ago, effectively having teachers teaching by last November 2010. The rest of it, the school simply close! What more ironic is that the teachers themselves are sometimes could not READ. Even if they can, their education capacity only reach the level of third grade students in Sumatera or Java. I had the chance to talk to one of the teacher who is actually living just across the school. She mentioned that the students are stupid, nasty and hard to control. So she found out that education is not an effective way of transferring better social capital, and yet, she is receiving monthly salary out of her status as PNS teacher!
My supervisor really challenges me of an insane situation. For a second, I thought that I would leave the program. But then I know that, and I believe that, in every society, you can always find bad people and good people at the same time. Then I met Alianus and this so generous, humble and dedicated expatriate who opens a school in that environment. He has been running the school for almost two years now. Although it is a faith based school, students coming from different faith background are actually accessing the school without necessarily need to lost their identities. The school environment is very nice, the school people are gentle, they have passion on children and education, and they are very open minded. I observe the classrooms, I found students work displayed, their teaching materials some were made of papuan leaves or rocks, and the teachers are all Papuan. I notice that the teachers are not so handful of teaching skill and methodology yet, but they are keen to learn, and that is the key! The attitude, the commitment, the plan, the structure! At least, particular number of children are accessing such quality education regardless their condition. Number of parents start to think that ijazah is not the objectives of an education. So, I am quite happy with that, and looking forward to expanding such services to more papuan highland children.
Jayawijaya highland, really opens my eyes that in a society where is only 400 kilometers away of the capital of the province, still facing such challenges. Although it is a new decentralized territory (kabupaten), education system functions zero, health service absent, high malnutrition indicators, people are so depressed out of freedom issue, and so on.
I will share you another part of my suspicion about fr**dom issue, which is so political and that is so frustrating both for local government and the communities. But that will be another chapter of my story. For now, I only feel that I am so blessed to experience such phenomenon myself and am so keen on doing something for that society, for whatever capacity that I have.
”Thousand dumbs will only ruin system, but ten brave hearts will make change! I believe!” “Be thankful of what you have and complain less!”
Wamena, 15 May 2011.
