M

ore children of the Batin IX clan of the indigenous Orang Rimba tribe in Jambi, Central Sumatra, are no longer strangers to education, thanks to the opening of distance learning classes held at SD 49/I Bungku state elementary school.

The classes can accommodate up to 40 elementary students from the clan, which lives in the Harapan (hope) rainforest.

However, only 20 to 25 of them are active students as many parents still require their children to go hunting or help with farming.

“These [distance] classes are dedicated to the Batin IX children,” the program’s teacher, Rio Afrian, said on Monday.

He added that two classrooms had been built to accommodate four groups of children of the alienated tribe, namely of the Mitra Zone, Tanding, Gelinding, and Simpang Macan Luar groups.

“The pupils are divided into two levels,” Rio explained.

The higher-level class is for students from grades four to six, while the lower-level class is designed for first through third grade children, he said.

Lessons run from Monday through Saturday, starting from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lower-level students are taught how to read, write and do simple calculations, while higher-level students also learn basic natural and social sciences.

“Because they are indigenous children, the subjects are delivered in a way that would be relevant to their daily life,” he said.

For instance, he made use of what was available in the forest, such as tree branches, as visual aids to help the students understand basic mathematics.

He also used familiar terms, such as names of forest fruits and animals, in his writing class.

Despite having physical classrooms, Rio implemented the “learning while playing” method, which mostly involves outdoor activities.

“Only one hour is [spent] studying in the classrooms,” Rio said.

Since it was first piloted in 2008, the program has had five graduates, who are now studying in high school.

One of the main challenges for students is the distance between their villages and the classes, which used to be a two-hour walk.

However, PT Restorasi Ekosistem Konservasi Indonesia (REKI), the concession holder of Harapan rainforest, has recently deployed cars to help pick up the children from their homes.

Mala, a student guardian, said the distance learning facility had been of great help for tribe members, as it was impossible for them to send their children to the district capital for school, given the remote location of their villages and a lack of access to proper transportation.

Ruslan, the leader of Batin IX in Sungai Kelompang subdistrict, Batanghari regency, echoed Mala’s statement, reiterating that the teaching methods used by the school did not contradict with their customs.

Danish Minister of Development Cooperation Ulla Tornaes visited the tribe on Monday.

Denmark is the main supporter of the 100,000-hectare Harapan rainforest, having pledged Rp 160 billion (US$12.32 million) since 2011 for its management and restoration.

“It’s not only about protecting the forest, but also making sure that the [original] people live well,” she said.

Some 20,000 ha of the forest has reportedly been illegally encroached by palm oil and rubber farmers.

An agreement between the Indonesian and Danish governments was signed in September last year, sealing cooperation on the forest’s restoration until 2018.