Caring for Village Children’s Literacy
In his five-year duty there, Fritz noticed that a lot of people in remote areas were illiterate, including school-age children. They live in the region bordering Malaysia.
Fritz Meko SVD
Godefridus Meko SVD has shown great concern about the need for children’s literacy in the interior region of Sanggau, West Kalimantan. With no pens and paper available, even the ground contributed to literacy. He taught over 1,000 children to write with fingers on the ground in 67 remote villages.
A candle was burning in front of the workroom/bedroom of Godefridus Meko SVD, commonly called Pastor Fritz, when visited at Soverdi SVD Monastery in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday (13/4/2022). Fritz was arranging his books on a shelf after reading five of them that noon. “Yes, it’s my custom to do so. This candle has to keep burning as a signal of the path of life,” said Fritz with a smile.
Fritz is now finishing his doctorate study at the State Christian Religion Institute of Kupang. Previously, he was assigned to Kalimantan and Malang, East Java. For Fritz, his most impressive mission was when he provided service in the Sanggau interior, West Kalimantan.
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In his five-year duty there, Fritz noticed that a lot of people in remote areas were illiterate, including school-age children. They live in the region bordering Malaysia. Feeling concerned about their condition, he sought the simplest way of rescuing members of the younger generation.
“The most practical way was teaching them to write directly on the ground with fingers, acquainting them with the A-to-Z alphabet. Writing errors are instantly wiped out. It turned out that they memorized the letters quickly. Soon, they could even combine the letters into words,” Fritz related.
It was quite a tough trip, which can also take a longer time in inclement weather.
He has visited at least 67 villages in the Sanggau regency to teach writing and reading. Fritz went by trail motorcycle for over four hours to reach the region. It was quite a tough trip, which can also take a longer time in inclement weather.
The children had not yet enjoyed proper education, so Fritz was prompted to provide guidance for them and to influence future development in Kalimantan.
Some of the books belonging to P. Fritz Meko SVD while attending his doctoral education at the Kupang State Christian Institute, Wednesday (13/4/2022).
More than 1,000 children followed the literacy activity on the ground. A village had around 20 children and teenagers aged 6 to 17. Sadly, not all children could join the lessons because they had to accompany their parents working in plantations or hunting in forests. After several meetings, Fritz brought paper sheets with the alphabet measuring 40 by 30 centimeters. The sheets were hung in residents’ homes where children learned in groups.
After observing the children’s development, Fritz brought writing books and pens on his next visits. Every child was given two writing books and two pens. “I asked them to teach their younger siblings at home. I also asked their parents to help encourage these children so as to make them capable of reading, writing and doing arithmetic, even though some parents were illiterate,” said Fritz.
All of them received certificates, which, among other purposes, were meant to boost their learning enthusiasm.
After six months, the children had to sit for exams and were later given certificates declaring they had passed basic literacy courses. There were three categories: writing, reading and arithmetic; only writing; and writing and reading. All of them received certificates, which, among other purposes, were meant to boost their learning enthusiasm.
Fritz feels relieved to see some of his successful students today. Several of them are working in palm oil estates and logging companies. They did not enjoy formal education because of the absence of primary and high schools. Those who had the opportunity to join formal education have now become teachers, nurses, village heads and even regional legislative councilors.
“I also visited local education offices at the time, encouraging them to build primary schools in the remote areas to save thousands of children. After the schools were set up, I searched for contract teachers to teach there,” he said.
Teaching Spirit
Fritz, who had been working in Kalimantan for a long time, persuaded everybody to learn to write articles. For 14 years, Fritz was lecturing at the Filial Indonesian Pastoral Institute of Malang, Palangkaraya Branch, Central Kalimantan.
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He also encouraged and trained a number of lecturers, priests, nuns and members of the Indonesian Catholic Students Association (PMKRI) to write and read books. He formed the Palangkaraya writers’ community especially for lecturers and encouraged them to write their opinions in mass media, as a requirement for accreditation of their official ranks or echelons.
“I’ve always reminded lecturers, students, priests and nuns to read books. By reading, they can gain new knowledge to be conveyed to the people they direct, foster or teach. In this way, people are not bored listening to the information communicated because they always get fresh material. Besides, the minds of the patrons or leaders should also be full all of the time,” Fritz pointed out.
The alumnus of the Ledalero Catholic Philosophy College of Maumere said in 1992 the late Romo (Father) YB Mangunwijaya (“Mangun”) visited Maumere, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, for several days after the tsunami. Romo Mangun reminded Fritz that he should use characters in his works; read romance, novels, and poetry; and learn how to make powerful speeches in front of other people. “The autonomy of the mind should be formed and built,” said this native of Timor, East Nusa Tenggara.
Imaginative people can create many things in one hour. Fritz has proven this. Apart from serving believers, he also teaches and writes books. Additionally, Fritz has recorded albums with Ricky Pangkerego.
Fritz Meko SVD.
Five albums contain spiritual songs and two others criticism of humanity and social issues. One of his creations is entitled “Kembara” (“Wander”). This song was inspired by his direct observation of the conflict between Dayak and Madura ethnic groups in 2001.
“This is my way of effecting literacy; at the same time, appealing to people, including children, to arise from deprivation. It’s in fact not easy but one must begin. Hopefully, what I have started there will be developing in a desirable way,” added Fritz.
Godefridus Meko SVD
Born: Manamas, Northern Central Timor, 21 June 1963
Education:Master’s degree in Communication in Kairos, St Patrick University, Maynooth, Ireland
Occupation:Editor in Chief, Kana Family Magazine, Malang, East Java
(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).
