Rather than being content with well-paying jobs in Jakarta, 72 of the nation’s brightest university graduates are off to spend a year teaching in remote regions across the archipelago.
“I want to give something back to my country,” said Maria Jeanindya, who previously worked as a reporter for the Media Indonesia daily newspaper.
“We have received a lot from Indonesia. All of us young people here, we dream of building a strong Indonesia.”
Maria is one of 72 people under the age of 25 set to leave over the next few days under the Indonesia Mengajar (Indonesia Teaches) program, a private-sector initiative financed by oil and gas firms that places top graduates in underprivileged rural schools.
The program’s founder, Anies Baswedan, said the program was expected to run for five years.
“They will be placed from one end [of Indonesia] to the other,” Anies said.
“The most western placement is in North Aceh and the furthest east is in Fakfak [West Papua].”
The 72 graduates — selected from 4,368 applicants — are set to teach in elementary schools across nine provinces and will be paid between Rp 3 million and Rp 4.5 million ($350-$525) per month. Each underwent seven weeks of training in teaching and school management ahead of their placements.
Maria, an international relations graduate from Bandung’s Parahyangan University, is scheduled to depart for Fakfak today.
She acknowledged she was surprised to hear that there was no mobile phone coverage in the district. In fact, she said, the nearest place where she could make phone calls was a two-hour bus and boat ride away.
“I was so confused,” she said.
“I’m so afraid of loneliness, a new culture, no phone signal. It means I will be totally alone. I have thought of keeping a diary.”
Participant Shally Pristine, another journalist, who previously worked for Republika newspaper, said she was preparing herself for the conditions in Oi Marai, a village in the impoverished Bima district in West Nusa Tenggara province.
“The nearest town is 10 hours away and can only be reached by bus or motorcycle taxi,” said Shally, a graduate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
“I have never really seen how people manage to live without roads, bridges or electricity. I am fully aware of the policy-making process at the central government level, but I am eager to know what actually happens at the grassroots community level.”
Vice President Boediono, who on Tuesday held a reception for the participants at his office ahead of their departure, said he was impressed with the character of the participants.
“It is concrete proof that we can still depend on idealism,” Boediono said. “The dreams of this nation lie with our young people. We will pass on, but this young generation holds the keys for the next generation.”
A total of 51 young graduates participated in the same program last year.