Why investing in education is so important in remote areas in Indonesia?

Thank you very much for keep supporting Sasak Satu Swara, from Indonesia!
As a return to your valuable support, we would like to share with you this month’s Newsletter from the organization that we hope you’d enjoy!

Article of the month:

Why investing in education is so important in remote areas in Indonesia?

 

It is known that the Indonesian educational system needs some improvements, not only in its curriculum but especially to guarantee access to the most vulnerable children. Last month we already learned the importance of libraries and promoting reading in Indonesia due to the problems that children face to learn to read and write.
In remote areas of Indonesia like Lombok, Central Java- where Sasak Satu Swara is located- this is not the only problem they are facing. According to Levi, the founder of Sasak Satu Swara, approximately 40% of the families are unable to afford the education of the children when they arrive at high school, due to the overall cost for the studies. It is very hard for most vulnerable families to be able to afford education for their children until their graduation because they need to pay enrollment, monthly fees, and also books, transportation, and food.

The government in Indonesia gives support to the families for 9 years from elementary school until middle school and then leaves it to the families to pay for the enrollment, the books, and the monthly payment for high school.
The real problem is that in order to get good jobs in Indonesia the minimum requirement is a high school certificate. For working as a gardener, cleaner and in most of the jobs they require this kind of certificate-which is almost impossible to afford for the poorest families.
Due to the previous situation, many families lose hope and let the children stop going to school as soon as at the age of 9 or 10 when they are not even able to read and write properly knowing that their certification won’t help them to find a job anyway.
Sasak Satu Swara was created as a way to empower children and to act as a school to those that are not enrolling in formal schools. In Levi’s school, there are children that have quit school and are still 10 or 11 years old. Sasak Satu Swara is trying to put a solution to this problem and to teach children different skills like languages, maths but also dance.
The work that Sasak Satu Swara is certainly changing the reality of so many children and from Airfunding we wish him luck to keep helping more in the future.

CULTURE OF INDONESIA
Bahasa Indonesia- a new official language.
Did you know that Bahasa Indonesia was chosen as an official language in 1945 after the decolonization from the Dutch? This means that this language has been considered official for less than 100 years! Bahasa Indonesia came originally from the Malay language and even though at that time was only spoken for approximately 5% of the population, was chosen as the official language.
There are more than 700 languages in Indonesia. Every tribe of every island speaks different languages such as Javanese (spoken only in Java and by the Javanese), Balinese (spoken on the island of Bali), Sundanese (spoken only by the sundanese)…etc.
Before the independence of Indonesia, due to the high amount of different languages, it was very hard to communicate between tribes and that is why choosing a common language was needed.
There are still many Indonesian people unable to speak or understand Bahasa. Mainly people in their 60s and 70s that didn’t go to school, but all the new generations have adopted the language as a first language.
Right now approximately 198 million people are able to speak Bahasa Indonesia, so it would be good for you to learn the basics!

Remember that you can directly communicate with Sasak Satu Swara in the Supporters Community on Facebook. Don’t forget to join the community if you haven’t done it yet, by clicking on the following link!