Advancing Children\'s Education

KOMPAS/Dokumentasi Pribadi

Alvian Wardhana, Founder of Banua Children\'s Literacy, provides free education services for children in remote areas of Kalimantan.

Alvian Wardhana, 19, was so moved at the sight of many children in Kunyit village, Tanah Laut regency, South Kalimantan, unable to read and count that he became a free tutor. He developed educational curricula and teaching methods according to the needs and characteristics of the children.

Together with his friends, Alvian founded the Anak Banua Literacy Community. Since its establishment in 2017, this community has reached 14 villages in South Kalimantan. Children who used to have learning difficulties are now experiencing progress in education. Banua Child Literacy activities have been published and promoted by the ASEAN Youth Forum in "Yuwana Zine 3 Days of Activism". The program has been nominated for the world 100 best SDG practices under the Friends for Leadership initiative and has been published through the State of Youth platform. For his concern and commitment to advancing education in his neighborhood, Alvian was chosen as a candidate for Ashoka Young Changemakers 2021.

Also read: Extraordinary School Principal

"I once came to Kunyit village to see that third-grade elementary school children could not read and understand simple game instructions. This shocked me,” he said when contacted from Jakarta, Thursday (4/2/2021).

Together with five of his friends, Alvian built a reading house and offered free tutoring in Kunyit village, so that children could more quickly absorb subjects at school. A simple idea that was thought to be easy to implement did not run smoothly in the field. He clashed with other parties who thought free tutoring could interfere with their activities. Alvian was considered too young to carry out these activities.

KOMPAS/Dokumentasi Pribadi

Alvian Wardhana, Founder of Banua Children\'s Literacy, provides free education services for children in remote areas of Kalimantan.

With strong determination, this young man, who is currently studying at the Department of Regional and City Planning, University of Brawijaya, Malang, was trying to convince the relevant parties of his vision. He visited the children\'s parents one by one for support.

The parents, who agreed to help Alvian, approached the village head and religious leaders there. "We also tried to convince them that, in the Quran, reading is not only related to religious knowledge but science as well. Finally, we got support from various parties," he said.

Children’s characteristics

From initially assisting only one village, his activities expanded to six villages and finally to 14 villages. He collaborated with school friends and others in organizations to open free tutoring for children. The villages to be selected were mostly located in remote areas with uneven educational conditions.

Alvian explained that not all children had the same ability to understand lessons. Moreover, children in the village faced increasingly complex challenges in learning, such as those related to locations and learning facilities. Therefore, when giving lessons, he adapts the subject matter to the conditions and needs of the children.

Some children seem to find it easier to learn materials through visual and audio means.

Before classes begin, children are assessed to determine their ability in subjects like mathematics and natural sciences. After that, they are asked what kind of learning process they like. Some children seem to find it easier to learn materials through visual and audio means. Other children learn more easily with movements and games.

The teachers distribute materials according to the students’ needs. For children who prefer visual and audio means, the subject materials are delivered in the form of videos or through pictures and photos.

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Teachers also often make games or movements with dolls for children who prefer lessons in the form of movements.

Teaching methods like this are the answer for children in remote areas who do not master the subjects taught at schools. "Children have different abilities in capturing subject matter. At school, children\'s abilities are equalized. Learning methods are also generalized so that there are children who can comprehend the material, and others who cannot," he said.

He explained that the facilities and abilities of teachers in villages and cities also differed, resulting in a gap in school education. To overcome this gap, Alvian tried to be the children\'s study partner. Usually, the learning activity would start with one large class. Later, children were grouped according to the material and their learning method.

With this approach, the children\'s ability to understand subjects increases. More than that, lessons that were shared in groups also fostered character in children\'s lives, such as joint work, mutual cooperation, empathy and creativity.

Alvian recalled the case of a child with a disability who was bullied by other students. The teachers then gave character inculcation to the children to be willing to respect others.

In carrying out his action, Alvian faced many unexpected events. When participating in a traditional ceremony in Lok Lahung village, for example, Alvian had to perform prayer in a crowd when the residents were holding a Kaharingan religious ceremony based on the traditional Dayak belief.

Alvian was very impressed when he saw the children make a circle around him so that he could pray fervently. The spontaneous attitude of these children showed tolerance and mutual respect among humans.

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Alvian attributes his care for the world of education and children to life values instilled in him by his parents. Since he was four years old, Alvian had often seen his parents, Mochammad Ardiansyah and his wife Devi Kesumawardani, do social activities.

From the experience of his parents, Alvian learned that the most important thing was not how big steps were made, but precisely how they could create the slightest change. "Changes, even if they are small, can have an impact on others," he said.

KOMPAS/Dokumentasi Pribadi

Alvian Wardhana, Founder of Banua Children\'s Literacy, provides free education services for children in remote areas of Kalimantan.

When involved in organizational and educational activities, Alvian was often underestimated because of his young age. However, he managed to prove that young people have empathy and can intervene in overcoming problems. Now, apart from teaching children in the villages, Alvian also develops training for peers who want to play a role in their surroundings.

Ashoka CEO Bill Drayton explained that everyone is a maker of change, including children and adolescents. "Once young people have dreams, build teams, and change their world, they will forever be change-makers in life."

Alvian Wardhana

Born: Banjarmasin, Oct. 24, 2001

Organizational experience, among others:

- Founder of Anak Banua Literacy (2018)

- Deputy Coordinator of Bangun Bangsa Indonesia, South Kalimantan Chapter (2019)

- Chairman of Public Relations Section of Pemuda Perintis Asa (2018)

Awards, among others:

- Best delegate, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the Model United Nations (2021)

- Best delegate, World Trade Organization (WTO), A Discussion on World Trade from Aid for Yemen, Model United Nations (2020)

- Candidate for Ashoka Young Changemakers award (2020)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)