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Work as a teacher, change education in Indonesia
Spending a year in a remote area far from the comforts of home may sound terrible, but for some it’s an exciting challenge and an effective way to improve education in the country
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pending a year in a remote area far from the comforts of home may sound terrible, but for some it’s an exciting challenge and an effective way to improve education in the country.
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) graduate Bayu Adi Persada said he immediately applied when he found a vacancy for teaching job in a remote area that was posted by the non-profit organization Indonesia Mengajar (Teach Indonesia).
“Education and other social problems have always been my passion, as well as traveling. That is why I didn’t think twice when I heard about the vacancy,” he said.
He said such move could improve the “education-for-all” campaign that was not well implemented in Indonesia.
“The fact annoys me. The government has a very good plan for our education, but when it comes to implementation, it doesn’t work out well,” Bayu said.
He said that if he got the job he would show the children in remote areas that they could get a good education, regardless of limited resources.
Indonesia Mengajar is planning to send 50 college graduates to teach in areas that had a lack of teachers, especially at elementary schools.
They will teach in five regencies starting in November: Tulang Bawang in Lampung, South Halmahera in North Maluku, Pasir in East Kalimantan and Majene in West Sulawesi.
One-hundred sixty people were selected from 1,383 applicants to undergo tests, interviews, group discussions and presentations.
The top 50 will learn how to develop curriculums since many are not trained teachers.
Nevertheless, many participants had prior teaching experience.
Erwin Puspaningtyas, a forestry graduate from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), said that she knew a little about teaching before she became a teacher in an orphanage in Bogor.
“I’ve always loved children. When I was in college, I wanted to do something related to children in my free time,” she said.
She said that communication was the key to teaching and the rest could be learned.
Another student, Bayu, said he had previously worked as a trainer and a coach, so teaching was nothing new.
Evi Trisna, a spokeswoman for Indonesia Mengajar, said that they were looking for candidates who had a passion to teach and were committed to make a change.
“Creative minds are another important thing we’re looking for,” she said.
