Be Good at Reading and Nobody will Fool You’

Traditional communities in the forests of Bukit Duabelas, Jambi, Orang Rimba, are increasingly aware of becoming more literate. Want to learn in order to remove the stigma of illiteracy.

After attending 114 hours of reading and writing classes, members of the Rimba people in Jambi took an exam. The basic literacy test may bring them a new status – of being literate.

KOMPAS/IRMA TAMBUNAN

Social Minister Tri Rismaharini chats with children from the Orang Rimba community in the Bukit Duabelas area, Batanghari Regency. Jambi, Wednesday (10/3/2021). In addition to providing economic and social assistance, Risma offers assistance for managed land for food and internet services to support education for jungle children.

Sargawi, 60, is relieved. He is now increasingly capable of reading and writing, as well as doing simple calculations, such as addition and subtraction.

He developed this ability through the government\'s Basic Literacy Program, which targets rural communities. In his community, 70 people participated in the program. All of them were parents.

Amid their busy days hunting and collecting forest products, as well as caring for their children, they set aside time to study. They were guided by a number of facilitators who lived in the forest.

They attended class five times a week. Each session took up to 2 hours. The course began in February and ended with an exam on Tuesday (25/5/2021). In total, the entire course took 114 hours.

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"If I am good at reading, I will no longer be fooled by other people," said Sargawi, leader of the Rimba people, who live along the Pelakar River in Sarolangun regency, Jambi, on Tuesday.

Before he took the exam, Sargawi looked excited. However, for moments he looked nervous. Several times during the exam his forehead creased. He said he had had difficulty answering questions.

An hour later, he finally finished all the questions. In addition to taking the reading and writing exam, he also took a basic arithmetic test.

If I am good at reading, I will no longer be fooled by other people.

The literacy exam was organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in collaboration with the Kembang Bungo Center for Teaching and Learning Activities and the Warsi branch of the Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI).

If they pass the exam, Sargawi and his classmates will receive a sukma (literacy certificate). The Basic Literacy Program is equal to a fourth grade reading level.

Kompas

The learning atmosphere of Rimba children in Bukit Duabelas National Park, Jambi, 2014.

If they continue their education to the advanced literacy level, their reading level will be equivalent to that of a sixth grader. They can also take exam.

This program is a breakthrough that has enabled the Rimba people to get an education without leaving the forest. They can also obtain the status of an elementary school graduate without the burden of a six-year education program.

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Sargawi said he wanted to be better at reading, writing and arithmetic, like people outside the jungle. He also hoped that people in his community would have the same enthusiasm and get the same educational opportunities.

Educational programs for rural communities have been increasingly facilitated by the government or non-governmental organizations. In the past, the Rimba people had to leave the forest to be able to study at school. Now a number of programs are packaged in a friendlier way for them.

Flexibility

Generally, the classes are flexibly organized in different places. The venue can be anywhere, not just within the classroom walls but sometimes in the middle of the forest, under shady trees or on the grass.

The students do not need to wear uniforms, and the teachers are willing to stay with the students in the forest for a certain period of time. Learning takes place in a local context.

However, this educational program initially only targeted children. Around 1,000 children have received literacy education through it. Meanwhile, most parents are still illiterate. For this reason, the Basic Literacy Program was established.

To meet the needs of the parents who work to make a living, both hunting and collecting forest products, teachers and basic literacy facilitators also come to the forest.

"Because the Rimba people have high mobility and reaching them is also difficult, we go into the jungle so that teaching and learning can continue," said Yohana Marpaung, KKI Warsi\'s education facilitator.

KOMPAS/IRMA TAMBUNAN

Orang Rimba community in Batanghari waiting to receive cash social assistance from the government, Friday (21/5/2021).

She said the desire of the parents to be free from illiteracy was high. "At first we asked the tumenggung [group leader] and rerayo [parents] whether they wanted to learn and be disciplined in the learning process, and they agreed," she added.

This basic literacy education is followed by seven learning groups spread across Sarolangun regency. Each group is accompanied by two facilitators appointed by the Sarolangun Education Office.

Zulhitmi, head of non-formal and informal early childhood education (PA-UDNI) at the Sarolangun Education Office, said that the program was held with the hope of reducing illiteracy among people in the hinterland tribes, so at a minimum they would be able to write, read and do calculations at a simple level.

Bukit Duabelas National Park Office head Haidir said the education program in the national park area took place non-formally, in what was called a mobile school. The program targets nomadic groups.

When a group is performing melangun (relocating from one place to another because a member of the group has died), the education officer will approach them. Education activity in the new place is part of the consolation.

The non-formal schools in the national park currently target 391 students, or 34.9 percent of the residents who live in central Bukit Duabelas. These efforts are expected to further pave the way for rural communities to become more empowered so that they will no longer be fooled by other people.

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko.