Education after catastrophe

Education after catastrophe

Alpha Amirrachman, Jakarta

Contemplating the magnitude of the catastrophe, it is clear
that education is a key factor in enabling the Acehnese to
rebuild their lives. Rebuilding education in the devastated
province is one of the most urgent tasks for the government.

Its positive long-lasting impacts cannot be guaranteed, but it
is because of this long-term issue that people's and the
government's commitment needs to be tested. Short-term goals may
appear pertinent and seem to be more crucial, but long-term goals
are equally as important.

It should be borne in mind that the disappearance of about
1,000 teachers, and the fact that 50 percent of school buildings
were crushed by the earthquake-triggered tsunamis, was also a
massive "mental quake" for the Acehnese students. Around 140,000
elementary school students and 20,000 junior high school students
have been left stranded, with no school buildings in which to
study. We should remember, however, that even before the natural
disaster, education in Aceh had suffered much from the prolonged
war between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM).

Many of the youths are still trying to cope with the bitter
reality that their beloved classmates -- with whom they used to
sit, play, "fight", study or share student jokes with -- are
dead. It is, therefore, crucial that we help bring back the
students' confidence.

It is encouraging that people have begun to switch from
donating secondhand clothes and dry food to other things, such as
books, pencils and pens. Therapy-like education has slowly been
introduced, while volunteer teachers of many religious and social
organizations are streaming into the province.

While mosques are widely used as emergency schools -- also
offering religious guidance -- other emergency school buildings
are being erected. Also, several school buildings that remained
intact were cleared of refugees so that classes could be held
there.

These efforts, however, are insufficient and more needs to be
done accordingly.

First, it should be realized that the province was not only
devastated by a colossal calamity, but has also been a war-zone
for decades. The recent restriction imposed on foreign
volunteers, while understandable as far as "sensitivity" and
"security" issues are concerned, is still regrettable as it could
hinder the reconstruction process.

In this case, priority should be given to volunteers who are
willing to work in rebuilding the education system -- be they
national or international volunteers.

Because of these restrictions, however, national teacher
volunteers should be given wider access to more volatile areas
that have been closed to international volunteers. Alternatively,
international volunteers could be accompanied by officials or
local non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives.

This requires not just good coordination, but awareness from
all sides of the significance of providing decent education for
Acehnese students.

Second, education under these circumstances will require more
patience than in normal times. As many national volunteers are
university students with more physical energy than most teachers,
it is hoped that they can conduct their mission with vigor.

Likewise, counseling, for example, might be better conducted
by university students, especially from the schools of education
or psychology, who can act as "brothers and sisters" to the
Acehnese students.

Third, volunteer teachers should also act as role models for
the disturbed Acehnese students.

Fourth, the tragedy and education reconstruction efforts could
be a moment of truth that becomes the foundation for the
rebuilding of Acehnese society. At the same time, people in the
troubled province could be more convinced that they are an
integral part of Indonesia.

The fact is that many Indonesians, irrespective of their
ethnicity and religion, volunteered or donated funds to the
province in a national show of solidarity and compassion for the
Acehnese.

Through education reconstruction efforts, the sincerity and
warmth of their brothers and sisters across the archipelago, as
well as the empathy shown by the international community, may
become lasting memories for the younger generation of the
Acehnese.

The writer (a.amirrachman@edfac.usyd.edu.au) is a lecturer at
the Faculty of Education at the University of Muhammadiyah Prof.
Dr. Hamka Jakarta. The views expressed are his own.