Prita Kemal Gani is quite well known among those who run public relations (PR) schools, having developed The London School of Public Relations' Communications Vocational High School (STIKOM LSPR) into one of the best PR schools in Indonesia.

STIKOM LSPR was previously just a PR course center located at the World Trade Center on Jl. Sudirman, Jakarta, starting off with about 30 students.

Today, STIKOM LSPR has a huge campus where many parents send their children for an education in PR. Prita said it was not easy to turn it into the large and well-known campus that it is today, which would not have been possible had it not been for a dedicated team.

"Thank goodness I had the support of my team members and friends that had the same mindset as me, which made it easy for STIKOM LSPR to progress. I also created harmonious work relations, which produced the right atmosphere for creativity," said Prita.

"I also teach my students to be creative by giving them the opportunity to become involved in various activities. This differentiates The London School from other PR schools. Our students become independent, so that they can become anything, such as MC, PR consultant or event organizer. We also teach them to make proposals, presentations for clients and we teach them about public character and culture," said Prita, who was born in Jakarta in 1961.

While other private PR schools have opened branches in the country, STIKOM LSPR has not, although it does intend to open branches in neighboring countries.

This is a small part of Prita's ambition, which is in line with her character and way of thinking. All this has something to do with her past as she was raised mostly by her mother after her father's death when she was five. She grew up to be idealistic and independent just like her mother. Prita said that her mother was not only a good housewife, but was also successful in managing a hotel in Bengkulu. Learning from her mother, Prita also became adept at housework and considers cooking a hobby.

Her success in the field of education is closely related to her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. "I wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a little girl. It is this dream that has brought me to where I am today," she said with a smile.

Next to her ambition to become a teacher, Prita was also interested in the PR world, especially after studying hotel management at Trisakti University and the training she received at Hilton Hotel, now The Sultan, in the public relations department. "I love both teaching and the PR world. PR is lots of fun as I get to meet lots of people," said Prita.

After graduating from Trisakti University in Jakarta she continued her PR studies at the London City College of Management, Britain, and then earned a master's in business administration at the International Academy of Management and Economics in Manila, the Philippines. Later she was the PR director at Clark Hatch International, Jakarta, for three years from 1989 to 1992.

It was during this time that she met her future husband, Kemal Effendi Gani, who was then the editor of Swa magazine. To Prita, the world of journalism was close to PR and she found she had a lot in common with Kemal. Amid her activities as a professional businesswoman, the wife and mother of three still finds time for her family.

"I still have time to arrange the daily menu, put flowers on the table, change the children's pillow slips and take them to school. I'm just like any other housewife. If we only thought about work, life would be boring," she said.

Prita, whose father was from Surakarta in Central Java and mother from Padang in West Sumatra, said her concept of family life is the strong cement in the form of similar dreams of the husband and wife in a marriage. She said life should be full of good karma. "My philosophy is simple: do good things that are useful for many people, including your family, relatives, as well as students," said Prita.

Along with all her achievements, Prita has become a female entrepreneur who is on a par with other reputable Indonesian women. She is now obsessed with improving the nation through her school. "I want to raise the creativity of my students to the international level, so that the school gets international acknowledgement that will have a positive impact on the Indonesian economy," said Prita, who has received a number of prestigious awards - one of them being the Achievement Award in Education from Perhumas in 2006.

As a person who cares about the nation's youth and their education, Prita advises the young generation to prepare for globalization. She said that they need not only a quality education and to master the English language, but a high level of discipline and professionalism to face the future.

Background

Name: Prita Kemal Gani

Place and date of birth : Jakarta, Nov. 23, 1961

Education

- Trisakti University, diploma in hotel management

- London City College of Management, public relations

- International Academy of Management and Economics, Manila, the Philippines, master of business administration

Experience

- Founder of The London School of Public Relations' Communications Vocational High School

- 1989-1992: PR director, Clark Hatch International, Jakarta Indonesia.

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