The story of teacher in Papua hinterland: Faithfully serving the children regardless of limitations
Having a comfortable life in a big city is certainly a dream of many people. But for this lady, making the dream for rural children come true and living in the same area with them are her dream. Differences of religion, ethnicity, and language are not obstacles for her. in addition, negative issues and pessimism in the media were ignored by her. This is the story of Mrs. Tarmin, who has been teaching for 15 years in the Earth of Cenderawasih, Papua, (which internationally renowned as West Papua).
Mrs. Tarmin has taught since 2005 at State Junior High School (SMPN) 1 Supiori, Puweri Village, North Supiori District, Papua. It is an area that takes about three hours by land from Biak.
Hitherto, Supiori was an area in Biak Regency, but for one reason or another it became a separate district. Mrs. Tarmin, who is originally from Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, initially admitted that she did not expect to be able to teach in junior high schools which used to take five to six hours from the center of Biak City, Papua.
As written by Liputan6.com, she sees that the people there have quite well accepted her, although the issues around this time say that the Papuans may not accept someone like her because of religious background. Tarmin’s life experience of course refutes that fact.
According to her the people there are quite friendly, especially when it comes to educational matters.
Becoming a teacher at junior high school in such a remote area requires her to be proficient in mastering all subjects. Despite being an English teacher, Mrs. Tarmin was also mandated to teach other subjects due to the limited number of teaching staff.
Mrs. Tarmin says that she has become a double-functioned teacher due to that situation. Not to mention how difficult to live in the hinterland, she admits that her teaching activity has been having limitations, both in terms of facilities and infrastructure.
When she first resides in the location, the lighting facilities only relied on limited electricity, which was only active a few times a week. As a result, she used to use oil-based lamps as lighting more often than electricity.
However, nowadays things have changed a lot. Supiori Regency already has facilities that are quite developed compared to when she first came.
Regardless to the limitations, Mrs, Tarmin’s persistence has been polished since exploring her hobby as a traveler. She previously worked as a tour guide who taught her a lot about survival at and acceptance of hardly developed areas.
The hardest moment she experienced was when she had difficulty of finding rice. Mrs. Tarmin said that rice can only be found in Biak, there was only one transportation (to and from Biak) daily.
Not only rice, side dishes are only obtained from Biak. However, because the area is quite close to the sea, fish are abundant for various alternative dishes for her.
She admitted that it is so difficult for a perfectly adequate standard of living, so sometimes consumes instant noodles only to save the budget. But the kindness of the local residents who often bring their catch from the sea has been quite helpful for her.
Strong Devotion
Also written by Liputan6.com, according to Mrs. Tarmin, against the sense of missing the family in Bima that she can only call once at a time is the hardest test. She is in a place where there is not enough signal or reception of telecommunication.
Not to mention her parents at home often worrying about her, but she always assures them that one day things will change and she is optimistic about that.
She often thought about going back to teach in big cities or in her hometown so she could easily gather up with her parents. But apparently there is a stronger call that continues holding her to keep teaching the Papuan children in the hinterland. She could not bear to leave the students there.
In addition, last 2007 she suffered from malaria, a typical disease of the land of Papua. Mrs. Tarmin was stricken by tropical malaria plus 4, which is known as the most virulent malaria.
Mrs. Tarmin was treated in her hometown in Bima. She feels grateful one year later she recovered and could move back to normal.
There is something that makes Mrs. Tarmin keep teaching at Supiori. It is her great passion for sharing knowledge, especially for Papuan children whose educational facilities were minimal at the time.
She is committed to herself that whatever happens she must share knowledge with the children there. Until now she is still willing to provide the best education she could for Papuan children.
A moment of pride
When her students can move up to the higher education level is a moment that is quite encouraging for her. Mrs. Tarmin even mentioned that many of her students are able to obtain scholarships to study abroad.
“Even though we eat sago, dried coconut, but we can also prove ourselves to the world, that Papuan children can do that (reaching higher achievement) too, that is our motto,” Mrs. Tarmin said when interviewed by Liputan6.com.
For her, there is nothing more touching when the students can become human beings that are useful for their fellow humans as well as for the nation. (*)
