Inspiring Hope in Garut Villages

MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA

Isop Sopiah

Aware of children’s difficulty in accessing education in remote villages, Isop Sopiah, 28, kept striving. Through hard work, this child of a bakso (meatball) seller has managed to offer schooling to brighten children’s futures in several isolated villages in Garut regency, West Java.

It began in the modest classroom in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) Al-Muttaqin 82, an Islamic elementary school in Siderang Legok hamlet, Cintanagara village, Cigedug district, Garut, on Monday (28/3/2022). The room, measuring 8 by 6 meters, accommodated two classes with dozens of children.

There were no chairs and tables in the room. On the worn cement floor marked with holes, students sat on mats during lessons. Part of the ceiling of the wooden second floor was also damaged.

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In this defective room, Isop and eight other teachers were fully engaged in children’s education. “There used to be only a madrasah diniyah (informal Islamic school) here. Since I started teaching in 2016, this space has become a classroom for MI Al-Muttaqin. Only in 2018 did we receive donations and build another room on the second floor,” said Isop.

When class was over that day, several children were still playing around the school yard.

Although far from convenient, this classroom was filled with the warmth of lively class activity. Children enthusiastically answered Isop and asked her questions. When class was over that day, several children were still playing around the school yard.

“At first, there was only a play group and class I. Every year, a new class was opened. This year, the first class from 2016 is now class VI. Hopefully they will all graduate,” Isop said proudly.

School for free

Despite children’s interest, Isop takes some extra time and energy to convince parents to send their children to school. The fear of its cost, and the long distance from school, sometimes make the parents, mostly farm workers, abandon their original intention to allow their children’s schooling.

“In fact, this village is very productive in terms of childbirth. Without schooling, these children can have a troubled future,” said Isop.

MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA

Isop Sopiah

Siderang Legok is only 16 kilometers from the seat of administration of Garut regency. However, its steep terrain and narrow road hamper mobility so that this village is quite hard to reach.

“For this reason, I finally opened a madrasah here. I keep persuading parents to let their children go to school. I stress that this school is free of charge,” she explained.

In running the school, Isop relies on the school’s operational fund and donations. All the funds are spent on teachers’ honorariums and children’s learning facilities.

The school, continued Isop, intends more than to increase knowledge through lessons. The development of children’s character, hygiene and teamwork also necessitates schooling from an early age.

The children’s way of thinking also changes as they gain knowledge and attention from Isop and the other teachers. When they can read, write and do arithmetic, the children also pay more attention to cleanliness so that they do not upset their parents.

“This school was the first step in opening more schools in the remote parts of Garut. Garut has many villages that are difficult to access,” she said.

Difficult access

Isop well knows that difficult access to a location makes it hard for children to attend school because she experienced it herself. She was born and brought up in Nagrog hamlet, Sarimukti village, Pasirwangi district, Garut, in similar conditions.

Most of them were resigned to their limitations.

The settlement on the slope of Mount Papandayan is difficult to reach due to the limitation of infrastructure. In her childhood, children who were able to continue their study until the high school level were very few. Most of them were resigned to their limitations.

Young Isop also found it challenging to continue her high school study. Her aspiration to be a teacher almost failed to materialize, since the school she needed to attend was a long way from her home.

Isop’s family had limited income, with her father working as a bakso seller in Bekasi, West Java. The money her father brought home was just enough to meet daily needs.

Nonetheless, Isop was saved when, near her home, Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) Sururon, an Islamic junior high school, was founded by Boy Fidro. Isop, who joined the school in 2005, belonged to the third class of MTs Sururon. It helped her considerably that the school provided free education for students.

Inspiring hope

More than his knowledge, Isop was also inspired by Boy’s generosity. He was ready to teach children, which she was interested in doing, too. Isop remembered that her teacher had to travel a long distance to reach the school.

“Pak Boy lives in Samarang, Garut. It’s around 10 km from here. The road is stony, narrow and steep. Yet he was consistent in teaching us. I learned from him that sharing knowledge indeed requires sacrifice,” said Isop, who was in turn motivated to also inspire children’s hope in remote villages.

Upon finishing junior high school, Isop sought a scholarship for further study. After securing a scholarship in madrasah aliyah (senior high school) in Sukaresmi, West Java, she won another scholarship to enter the department of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Education, Garut University, and graduated in 2015.

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Teachers and alumni of Widya Mukti Vocational School, Cigalontang District, Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, visited the home of a dropout child in Ciorek Village, Cilawu District, Garut Regency, Monday (17/7/2017).

At present, Isop manages 11 educational facilities, ranging from play groups and madrasah to educational parks, with a total of more than 500 children students.

Isop has also formed a community to screen graduates of senior high school and its equivalent for their access to higher education. The community named Sukses Bersama Berkah Semua (success and blessing for all) has listed more than 50 youths coming from disadvantaged families.

The youngsters, according to Isop, will be assisted in their access to Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP/Smart Indonesia Card). In addition to their college study, these students are expected to carry on the struggle to set up more schools in other remote regions.

Isop Sopiah

Born: Garut, 25 June 1993

Education: Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Education (PGMI), Garut University

(2015 graduate)

Occupation:

- Principal, MI Al-Muttaqin 82 (2016-present)

- Principal, Asy-Syakur Integrated Islamic Senior High School, Pasirwangi (2019-present)

- Chairperson, Shofful Muttaqin 99 Foundation (2019-present)

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira)