The Brief History
of
Community
Learning Qaryah Thayyibah
By bahruddin
Abstract
It is a
model of community based education that would lead the society to the great
civilization.
This
learning community’s main concern is noble universal values with justice,
including social
justice
with gender equity and ecological fairness. Its learning process, always stands
on local living context with all community members’ participation (as learners
and tutors as well) and the surrounding environment as learning laboratory.
Its
learning strategy is learner-centered rather than teacher-centered; it always
utilizes anything available in the surrounding environment as the source of
learning, including the complexity of matter or problem. The common logic
“because I’m poor and incapable, I don’t go to school” would be turned to “it
is because I’m poor and incapable; I have to study so I could get smarter and
more prosperous”. Learning does not have to be through being in school. We
might drop out of school but we should never drop out of learning. Drop out of
learning is equal with drop out of life.
The “umbrella” institution of this learning community is “attached”
to PKBM (or Community Learning
Center) that operates under the coordination of Ditjen P N F I (or Directorate General of Non Formal and Informal
Education).
Brief History
I prefer
to say that it was by accident rather than by design.
It began
(on July 2003) when my first son, Hilmy, just graduated from SD (or 6th grade
elementary school). Thus, he should go to higher education we called SLTP (or
3rd grade junior high school, also known as SMP). Then, because his academic
rate was quite good, I registered him to SLTPN 9. It was the second best junior
high school in this city, after SLTPN 1. And, alhamdulillah he was
welcomed by SLTPN 9.
To show
my gratitude and as the chief of RW 1 (or neighborhood association) in
Kalibening hamlet, I invited my neighbors who had the same “fate”, whose
children were just graduated from SD/MI and about going to SLTP/MTs. There were
30 households. The meeting was to discuss our anticipation concerning our
children, who had studied only in the village, but must go to school downtown
later on.
During
the discussion, the subject developed to the actual problematic issues of
education. Some of those were expensive tuition fee and education quality. I
felt the same because my son had to pay 750,000.- rupiahs for school facility contribution
only.
Because
the discussion on tuition fee and quality ended nowhere, I emotionally proposed
an idea, “How about we run a school on our own? So we can decide the tuition
fee, at any rate we like? It would be our own people who even run it. So the
matter of quality would depend on our own efforts.”
My idea
had aroused various responds. Most of them thought it was a “joke”, wishful
thinking, even “nonsense”. But there were some who saw it as a serious and
reasonable idea. With all courage, I said, “Well, if there are 10 children,
let’s try it. If less than 10, just forget it; I would let my son go to SLTPN
9.”
Fortunately
there were 12 children, including my own son, agreed with my idea and ready to
run the independent schooling. Together with these 12 households we started
this schooling and we agreed to name this schooling after SLTP Alternatif Qaryah
Thayyibah. Alternative refers to in-expensive and quality education.
Low-price has always been the poor people’s preference (the alternative, and
quality is the rich people’s preference (the alternative). So, anything cheap
and good must be the preferred alternative for everyone. Qaryah Thayyibah was
taken from the name of a farmer union. Qaryah Thayyibah, which means advanced
village, could fit and represent our dream that this schooling will lead our
village to become an empowered village. This is unique, because the name Qaryah
Thayyibah which sounds very Islamic and very Arabic was actually a “gift” from
Mr. Raymond Toruan, who is a Catholic and of Batak descent.
Practically
we had only a week to execute that spontaneous idea into a real school, because
we didn’t want to be behind academic schedule, issued by Depdiknas (or national
education authority); it was 3rd Monday of July. To be precise, it
was July 21st, 2003. On that day we started the class.
Utilizing
whatever we have, including a small room in my house, the class began. Even the
teachers were my friends from the farmer
organization.
Because
of our various limitations, we delegated the decision making of most issues to
children, such as when parents wished their children to wear uniform (most of
parents think that a school should have school uniform, so it won’t look out of
control), we made it a common decision, but we fully entrust children to make
any decision on its style, color, and model. Finally, we found that this kind
of entrustment could genuinely improve children’s creation, innovation and
imagination.
We use
anything that is currently available as the learning media. We didn't start it
by making up new things. When we discussed on improving learning media, we
decided to put computer as our first priority. We seek any information about
the price, and we knew that it cost one million rupiahs. Then we converted the
amount into our financing capacity; it fit well with most children’s daily
allowance. We tried to calculate how much money parents give to their
junior-high-school age children. The answer we got, parents give at least (for
the poorest) 3.000 rupiahs everyday to their children. For children who went to
school down town, that amount of money would end only for public transportation
and snacks.
Then, we
managed the Rp 3,000 by redistributing it further. Rp 1000 for
saving computer, 1000 for usual savings and 1000 for food. If the price of a
computer is one million, meanwhile, saving computer only 1000 hence 1000 days which
will come we can have a computer. it has not been 1 year and we have already
collected 4 million, and apparently after we try asking the price of a
computer, there was an offer for a second hand P 2 computer with the price of
Rp 750000 per unit. Therefore for 12 units we would need Rp 9 million. Since we
already have 4 million, we try searching for a loan of 5 million. After earning
the loan we to bought those computers so that each child can bring a computer
to their homes and the saving of 1000 rupiah still continue only the name is
changed to become instalment.
The
remaining 1000, after being collected can be used by the children for guitars,
a set of English languange learning tapes from BBC, and a pair of
English-Indonesia/Indonesia-English dictionary by Hasan Sadili-John McEchols.
The other
1000 is used for food. We still divide them, the 500 rupiah for filling food
such as 'arem-arem', gemblong and others, and the other 500 rupiah we bought
fresh milk. The price of fresh milk at the time was Rp 1200. Because there are
12 children and one litre can be used for 4 glasses then the total is Rp 3600.
The remaining amount of Rp 2400 we used to buy honey.
Hence
with only Rp 3000 that is equivalent to the allowance of the poorest children
that goes to school downtown, children in Qaryah Thayyibah an have a computer,
a set of English language learning tools with the dictionary, a guitar, and can
drink milk with honey every day.
Then, the
school "joined" the SLTP Terbuka (or open junior high school
program), and automatically fall under the supervision of SLTPN 10 Salatiga. To
be honest, the children really disliked the supervisor school. Because the
Children knew, and that is a true fact, that the supervisor school had the
lowest rating among others in Salatiga City. But, because it had been chosen by
local authority to be the only institution to run SLTP Terbuka, we had no
choice but to be attached to SLTPN 10, as TKBM (or self-support tuition point)
SLTP Terbuka, with the name Qaryah Thayyibah (QT).
Since the
first time we joined SLTP Terbuka, there was irresolvable “clash”. The SLTPN 10
as the parent school, refuse the “Alternative” labeling, while we insisted to
put “Alternative” as part of this school name. They always call us TKBM QT,
while we insisted with SLTP Alternatif QT. Actually, we had proposed the term
TKBM “SLTP Alternatif QT” as a solution, but they refused it.
Conflict
was also involved in other cases. Because SLTPN 10 thought they have rights to
direct us, and, on the contrary, we practiced “liberating” education, conflict
was unavoidable on many issues. We often send back exam sheet to the parenting
school, as we founded misleading questions in it. Once, for example, student
was asked in Civic exam to fill blank spaces, while the question was, “The
independence of Indonesia was achieved after …and….” The right answers
according to the answer key were collective and cooperative spirit. So,
if any student fills it with founding father efforts and God’s will,
the student would be considered as stupid, because his answers don’t match with
the answer key.
The
conflict climax was on 3rd semester (after 1.5 years running). We
declared to stop any relationship with the parenting school or to quit SLTP
Terbuka system. We want to move to PLS (or non-formal education program) which
we believe to be more flexible. We went to Diknas (or local authority for
education program) to ask for approval. Basically they agreed, but we have to
complete the 3 grades/academic years (to graduate SLTP beforehand). So, practically
we didn’t have any “parents” during the time (for 1.5 years). We have quit SLTP
Terbuka, but we haven’t officially joined PLS. However in the meantime,
children’s creativity was surprisingly all out. Children produced so many
works; we even communicated directly with Ditjend PLS (or national authority
for non-formal education program). That’s why the head of Diknas Salatiga
offered me to register all QT students to SNBI (or international standard
class) of SMAN 1 Salatiga. I was so proud to hear the offer. Why not, SMAN 1
was the most favorite high school of all SMA in Salatiga; moreover, SNBI was
just opened a year before.
But the
story had different end. Children’s creativity was getting intense, that they
decided to end their SLTP period by presenting final work. Then they asked
about any term which refers to academic final work. What is term paper,
what is thesis and what is dissertation? After we gave
explanation, they chose to call their final work as dissertation. Because of
deep engagement on their dissertation, they didn’t let anyone and anything
whatsoever distracting their attention. Unfortunately, even National Exam
shouldn’t be a distraction, so they decided to miss the National Exam. By this
case, we were really shocked, because just before that, we were so happy to
hear that our student had privileged chances to go to SMAN 1 Salatiga. For
once, we regretted why we should give unconditional freedom to children. Ok,
whatever happens we will keep supporting children’s decision: we tried to hide
our disappointment and told them that if it was their decision, we would keep
supporting them. About academic certificate, we could arrange it ourselves or
if needed, we could even ask proofs to some professors.
Then,
suddenly, there were 3 students who decided to do National Exam; they are Izza,
Fina, and Kana, who later call their group as Zafika. Their decision surprised
the rest of the children. They were called as traitors, because they had agreed
to miss National Exam. Zafika defended them selves by saying that they have
rights to decide anything of their own interest. Zafika protested, why they
should be left out? Finally all children got together and could understand it
because there was a clear reason that their dissertation would be about National
Exam, so Zafika needed to follow the exam (for participatory research).
Zafika
finally did National Exam and also wrote about it. They did the exam and the
research at the same time. Zafika really kept their promise. Right after they
finished the exam, they finished their report as well. The resume of their
report surprised the public when it was published on the national paper titled,
“Should National Exam be abolished?” The
complete work was finally published by national publisher, titled “It’s groovier
without National Exam”.
Passing
the “National Exam” case, children got more self-confident and their courage
was getting intense, so they took initiative to establish a High School without
any intervention from anyone or anywhere except the support we are supposed to
give. Finally, Zafika and friends founded a “high school”, named SMU Qaryah
Thayyibah. SMU is not a short form of Sekolah Menengah Umum (or regular high
school), but Sekolah Menengah Universal (or universal high school).