Helping Village Children through Education

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Siti Komariah poses for a photograph with husband Dika Aryanto and her students.

Siti Komariah, 29, is the only teacher at SD Muhammadiyah 4 Palembang Filial elementary school in Saluran village, Banyuasin regency, South Sumatra. Despite working alone and for a very low salary, she stays on for the sake of educating the village children.

On Wednesday (13/11/2019) morning, Siti Komariah\'s desk was surrounded by students. They scrambled boisterously for guidance or simply attention, but Siti patiently served them one by one.

This is daily routine at this elementary school, and understandably so, since Siti is the only teacher. She teaches at the same time 25 students from grade I to grade VI. Students from different grades sit in the same classroom. However, they sit in groups based on their grade.

Grade I students sit on the far right, while grade VI students sit on the far left. The tables and chairs have seen better days; the books are old and worn out.

That day, Siti was teaching mathematics to students of all grades. Overwhelmed with the 25 students, she asked her husband Dika Aryanto, 39, to teach the students of grades I and II while she taught those of grade III to grade VI. Dika is not a teacher, but a farmer. When he did not understand the subject matter, he also asked Siti.

Siti\'s salary also was paid several months late, but she chose to stay.

Although sometimes not much help, the presence and support of Dika motivate Siti. "Thanks to his support, I have survived until now," she said.

Siti has been teaching alone for three years at SD Muhammadiyah 4 Palembang Filial elementary school in Saluran village, Talang Kelapa district, Banyuasin regency, South Sumatra. When I started teaching at this elementary school in 2014, there were two other teachers. However, they both left in 2016 because their salary payout was delayed. Siti\'s salary also was paid several months late, but she chose to stay. "Until now, I am the only one teaching here," said Siti.

She said she was paid Rp 500,000 per month by the parent school, SD Muhammadiyah 4 Palembang. The salary is often spent to buy teaching equipment rather than for personal purposes. Even so, she was still grateful. At least she still had the opportunity to teach children in her village.

For Siti, the purpose of being a teacher, especially in a remote village like Saluran, is not to pursue material benefits but to serve. "How will this village progress if its children do not go to school? At least my students can go to middle school," said Siti, who only graduated from high school.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Siti Komariah

Siti\'s determination grew stronger when she witnessed firsthand how her students struggle for school. Students whose homes are far from the school must cross the river with a boat to get to school. Therefore, Siti feels guilty if she is unable to teach, for example when her child is sick. In such circumstances, students of Grade VI usually replace her, teaching students of lower grades. "They don\'t want to take a day off," said Siti.

To sit semester exams or national exams, the students have to go to the parent school through difficult terrain. They usually stay a few days at the home of residents near the parent school during the exam season.

Tough road

Saluran village is part of Banyuasin regency, but SD Muhammadiyah 4 Palembang Filial elementary school has its main office at SD Muhammadiyah 4 Palembang, which is closer. Although only 20 kilometers from Palembang, the road to Saluran village is unpaved. During the dry season, the road is dusty. When it rains, the road turns muddy with puddles. The village does not yet have grid-connected electricity or clean water services. In fact, only two of the 56 houses around the school have proper toilets.

SD Muhammadiyah 4 Filial was built in 2002 independently, by the residents of Saluran village, most of whom are rice or oil palm farmers. The school building, measuring 6 by 3 meters, is very simple. The walls are made of brick, without a layer of cement. The roof is made of zinc which in some parts is already rusty. The cement floor is cracked in some parts. "Since it was first built, this building has never been renovated," said Siti.

Even though it is in poor condition and only has one teacher, the elementary school remains the preferred choice of villagers for basic education because it is close to their homes; and because it is free of charge.

The SDN with a better building has only two teachers and 17 students.

There is, in fact, another elementary school in Saluran village, state elementary school SDN 2 Filial. However, it is located at quite a distance from the settlement. To reach it, residents must pass narrow and deserted roads flanked by rice fields and oil palm plantations. The SDN with a better building has only two teachers and 17 students.

Siti hopes that the government can provide assistance for SD Muhammadiyah 4 Filial in Saluran village, especially teaching staff. With additional staff, Siti is sure that her students could study in optimal conditions. "So far, there has been no help from the government. Maybe they do not know we are here," said Siti, who worries that her school might be closed down anytime because of the lack of teachers.

Luckily, help has begun to come from companies and the communities. One of them is the Sriwijaya Reading education and literacy community, which has helped Siti develop teaching methods at the school since April 2019. Sepri Belliansyah, founder of Sriwijaya Reading, said at least 20 schools in Palembang were in a poor state. In all of South Sumatra, there are hundreds of such schools.

"It is fortunate that this school [in Saluran village] has a teacher like Siti, who is persistent in teaching amid various constraints," said Sepri.

Siti Komariah

Born: Palembang, 25 October 1990

Children: Nazril Hilal and Nazuar Rahil Hilal

Education:

-SD Negeri 2 Makarti Jaya, Banyuasin

-SMP Negeri 1 Makarti Jaya, Banyuasin

-SMA Negeri 1 Makarti Jaya, Banyuasin