Sowing the Nationality Seeds of Tamansiswa Education

July 3 is actually one of the milestones in the history of national education because on July 3, 1922, Soewardi Soerjaningrat, who later changed his name to Ki Hadjar Dewantara, established a new school that was open to all groups and taught by teachers from his own nation.

The school was later known as Perguruan Tamansiswa. The term "perguruan" (educational institution) was chosen instead of "school" because its meaning was different from the schools established by the colonial government.

"Perguruan", which is derived from the word paguron (Javanese), comes from the word "guru" (leeraar, teacher). The literal meaning of "perguruan" is the place, where the teacher lives. One can also take its origin from the word "berguru" (meguru, Javanese), namely learning, so the meaning can be attached to that word: the center of study. The word peguron also often gets the meaning of "the teaching itself", namely where the teacher\'s personality is the leading element, so that the paguron means: the direction to be followed.

The three meanings of peguron were used by Tamansiswa people because they wanted a study center, with a predetermined direction, and also the teacher\'s house. According to Ki Hadjar Dewantara, the type of house that also functions as a school is not the same as a boarding school, where the nature of kinship is often pressed and there is very little kinship between the students and the director, who is usually the commander who is most feared (Education: 56-58).

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The choice of this paguron institutional form, according to historian Abdurrahman Surjomihadjo, was because Tamansiswa was looking for the spirit of the Islamic boarding school. Because of the paguron, the teacher was called pamong (guardian). This was in line with the system being developed, namely the among system, which means serving by guiding. Ki Mangoen Sarkoro described it like the relationship between a nanny and the child, or in pewayangan (shadow puppet subject) like between clown Semar and Arjuna, not the relationship between an employer and a worker.

Wife’s encouragement

In this among system, the elements of asah (honing), asih (loving), and asuh (nurturing) are very strong to encourage children to be able to grow and develop their spirit of independence. This is in line with the concept of education that fosters cipta (logic), rasa (art, philosophy, literature) and karsa (action). Because of that school, as paguron and the teacher being the guardian, the students are active in taman (parks) according to their age level, such as Taman Indria (TK-kindergarten), Taman Muda (SD, elementary school), Taman Dewasa (SMP, junior high school), Taman Madya (SMA, senior high school), and Taman Karya (SMK, vocational school).

In this among system, the elements of asah (honing), asih (loving), and asuh (nurturing) are very strong to encourage children to be able to grow and develop their spirit of independence.

KOMPAS/ FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Ki Hadjar Dewantara statue in front of pendapa at Taman Siswa school complex, Jalan Taman Siswa, Yogyakarta, Monday (11/4/2016). The school was founded on July 3, 1922 at the residence of the deceased national education figure Ki Hadjar Dewantara and continues to play a role in educating the nation\'s next generation.

Ki Hadjar Dewantara, before establishing Perguruan Tamansiswa, was known as an independence movement activist through the world of journalism. His writing titled Als Ik Eens Nederlander Was (If I were a Dutchman) made the colonial government angry and then exiled him to the Netherlands. However, in the Netherlands, he and his wife even learned many things.

At that time (1913-1919) the feeling of people in the Netherlands was deeply influenced by the thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore (India) and Maria Montessori (Italy). These two figures considered education and teaching in Europe to be very enriching intellectually, but numbing the feeling so that it only made humans simply as machines.

Ki Hadjar Dewantara, before establishing Perguruan Tamansiswa, was known as an independence movement activist through the world of journalism

Since then, Ki Hadjar Dewantara had developed a dialogue relationship with Tagore and Montessori. Tagore had the chance to visit Tamansiswa in Yogyakarta. On the other hand, Ki Hadjar Dewantara and Tamansiswa people visited Shanti Niketan in India. One of the guardians of Tamansiswa who visited Shanti Niketan and later became a national figure was the writer Rusli. Behind the Tamansiswa pavilion, there was also the Wisma India which was once occupied by the maestro of Indian dance, Miss Mrinalini.

According to Ki Priyo Dwiarso, a person who had become a direct student of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, while in the Netherlands, Nyi Sutartinah (Ki Hadjar Dewantara\'s wife) helped Ki Hadjar Dewantara earn an additional living by becoming a teacher at Frobelschool (kindergarten), a school founded by Frobel (Friedrich Wilhelm August Frobel).

His wife\'s experience as a teacher at the kindergarten further enriched Ki Hadjar Dewantara\'s treasures of Frobel\'s educational concept, which made games as a medium for children\'s education. After returning to the country (1919), thanks to the inspiration and encouragement of his wife, Ki Hadjar Dewantara turned his direction from a political movement to education and culture.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Teachers and students attend a ceremony to commemorate National Education Day on Wednesday (2/5/2018) at Taman Siswa on Jl. Taman Siswa in Yogyakarta, which was founded by national education hero Ki Hadjar Dewantara. National Education Day, which is commemorated on May 2, coincides with the birthday of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, a symbol of national education revival.

His introduction to the game method developed by Frobel and the intense dialogue between Ki Hadjar Dewantara and Tagore and Montessori later colored Ki Hadjar Dewantara\'s views on education and culture. From Frobel, Ki Hadjar Dewantara learned how to make children\'s games a medium of education, from Montessori got inspiration about the importance of giving and fostering an independent spirit in children, while from Tagore, he got the strengthening in cultural aspects.

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However, the Ki Hadjar Dewantara concept of independence was slightly different from the Montessori independence concept. According to Ki Hadjar Dewantara, our independence (vrijheid) is not free, but is limited by self-discipline (zelfdicipline), namely, as long as it does not destroy the happy greetings and peaceful order of society. In Ki Mangoen Sarkoro\'s formulation, independence must lead to the most intensive devotion of mankind. The Montessori method was absolutely independent (absolute vrijheid).

From Frobel, Ki Hadjar Dewantara learned how to make children\'s games a medium of education, from Montessori got inspiration about the importance of giving and fostering an independent spirit in children, while from Tagore, he got the strengthening in cultural aspects.

From Ki Hadjar Dewantara\'s interest in the spirit of renewal offered by Tagore and Montessori, at that time, in the Tamansiswa pavilion room, portraits of Tagore and Montessori were installed, causing many people to think that Tamansiswa was of the Tagore and Montessori faction.

That was not the case though. The installation of this portrait was because Ki Hadjar Dewantara viewed Tagore and Montessori as new guides, destroyers of old education and builders of new schools, which were in accordance with the Tamansiswa tradition, which was drawn from the educational customs that were still alive in our society or whose traces still appeared, namely as a national culture (Ki Hadjar Dewantara, Education: 131).

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Portrait murals of pioneering independence fighters such as the Proclamator Soekarno-Hatta adorn the city walls on Jalan Aria Putra, Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten, Thursday (19/3/2020).

In his explanation about the Montessori, Frobel, and Kindergarten methods, Ki Hadjar Dewantara admitted that Tamansiswa could be said to use both as contained in the nature of Montessori and Frobel education, but the learning of the senses and games were not separate, namely, they were considered one, because in Tamansiswa there was the belief, that in every behavior and in all the circumstances of their lives the children had been filled with "The Supreme Among" of all the tools that have educational nature for the child (Ibid: 242).

Nationality seed

The basis of Tamansiswa is Pancadarma, namely the characters of nature, culture, independence, nationality, and humanity. The basis is taken from the values that have developed in the community and at the same time become Tamansiswa\'s ideals to be realized.

The seeds of Ki Hadjar Dewantara\'s nationality emerged when he was 12 years old when he finally had to be separated from his playmates because he had to go to school, while his friends could not go to school just because they were not priyayi children. This tragic social reality really awakened his awareness about the social stratification in society based on the social status of parents and was sharpened through segregative education.

Based on his personal experience, he took the path of struggle based on people and nationality. Perguruan Tamansiswa must be open to all groups, so that the reason for nationality becomes its basis because it is able to accommodate various groups that grow in society.

The idea of nationality and the nationalist spirit that become the basis of Tamansiswa would later become the foundation for the development of national education, after Indonesia\'s independence in 1945 and Ki Hadjar Dewantara was appointed Education and Teaching Minister. Even though his tenure was short, only three months, he succeeded in laying the foundation of national education with a nationality perspective.

This nationality ideology later also animated the formulation of Law No. 4 of 1950 in conjunction with Law No. 12/1954 on Principles of Teaching in Schools, which was drawn up when the education minister was served by Sarmidi Mangunsarkara from Tamansiswa. This was an education law that was very inclusive, nationalist, and gave freedom to citizens to develop education according to their beliefs.

Compare this with Law No. 2/1989 or Law No. 20/2003 on the National Education System which was highly etatisme and not inclusive.

The praxis of education in the field cannot be separated from regulations. When the regulations are inclusive, the educational praxis is also inclusive. However, when the regulations are exclusive, the educational praxis in the field is also very exclusive. The emergence of the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Three Ministers, namely the Education and Culture Minister, the Home Affairs Minister, and the Religious Affairs Minister, regarding School Uniforms (which was later canceled by the Supreme Court) was a reflection of an exclusive educational praxis that does not have a nationality perspective.

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The praxis of education that is exclusive and excludes what is different can also be seen from greetings for meeting/ending lessons using the language of the majority religion. Similarly, in terms of praying which always uses the prayer of the majority religion. In fact, in the class there are religious minorities so they always feel excluded in the class. Ki Hadjar Dewantara developed greetings of meeting/ending lessons by adopting a universal language, namely "Salam and Bahasia", which would be answered by saying "Salam".

Unfortunately, the beautiful, inclusive, liberating, cultured, and humane concept and praxis of Perguruan Tamansiswa has been eroded by the times, making it difficult to find good examples in the current Tamansiswa surroundings. However, it is not wrong if education activists dream that the state is present to realize the concept and praxis of national education as has been carried out by Tamansiswa in the past. The magnitude of this longing can be seen from the widespread study of Tamansiswa\'s thoughts and educational praxis over the past five years in various circles.

Unfortunately, the beautiful, inclusive, liberating, cultured, and humane concept and praxis of Perguruan Tamansiswa has been eroded by the times, making it difficult to find good examples in the current Tamansiswa surroundings.

HTTP://DARMANINGTYAS.BLOGSPOT.COM/

Darmaningtyas

This longing is triggered by the praxis of national education, especially in state schools which are increasingly religious and tend to sow the seeds of intolerance. State schools, that in the past were the first choice for every parent who wanted to send their children to school without any obstacles in the form of ethnicity, race, religion, and class, now are even in an emergency of intolerance. Therefore, if tolerated to drag on, the schools, which are supposed to sow the seeds of nationality, even contribute to the destruction of a nation.

Ki Darmaningtyas, Caretaker of the Tamansiswa Great Family Association (PKBTS)

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)