Ipda Dongan's Service: Teaching English to Children on Riau's Remote Islands
Senior Sergeant Ipda Dongan Marulitua Manalu serves as a police officer on remote islands within Meranti Islands District, Riau Province. Beyond his responsibilities for law and order, he has demonstrated his commitment through teaching English to local children.
Ipda Dongan was nominated by Meranti Islands residents for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards. The Deputy Chief of Rangsang Police Station was recognised as a friendly and service-oriented officer.
His dedication has been highlighted by Sulaiman, a teacher at Sungai Cina Village, West Rangsang, Meranti Islands. Sulaiman knows Ipda Dongan through his regular visits to schools to teach English to children.
“Every time he visits, he shares knowledge and communicates with the children about his English proficiency and experiences. The children really enjoy it,” Sulaiman said.
Sulaiman particularly recalls Ipda Dongan as a humble person who greets others first when they meet.
“Even when we meet at shops anywhere, he greets me first, saying ‘hello sir’,” Sulaiman stated.
Iskandar, Secretary of Rangsang Pesisir Sub-district in Meranti Islands, also praised Ipda Dongan’s performance and community closeness. For Iskandar, Ipda Dongan is an enthusiastic and active officer in various sub-district activities.
“What we report and communicate is not merely ceremonial—it truly reflects what happens on the ground,” Iskandar added.
Iskandar describes Ipda Dongan as a friendly and sociable person. This rapport with the community has enabled him to teach English to children.
“Here in our coastal area, we have junior and senior secondary schools as well as primary schools. So he doesn’t just teach at primary level—he also teaches at junior and senior secondary levels. Especially at those levels, it’s important to provide awareness, particularly regarding youth delinquency and similar issues, and to share knowledge and skills he has acquired. He generously shares,” Iskandar explained.
His English proficiency is frequently utilised when coordinating with the sub-district office. Iskandar expressed admiration for his police colleague.
“On one hand, his interaction is not limited to Indonesian or local dialect—he also uses English. Every time we meet, whether on the road or when he visits the sub-district, he uses English,” Iskandar noted.
Ipda Dongan’s Story
Reached separately, Ipda Dongan explained how he began teaching children in Meranti Islands. He has served in Meranti since 2013, but only recently achieved officer rank.
He began teaching children on coastal islands whilst serving at the Marine Police unit, holding the rank of First Sergeant. Beyond introducing English, Ipda Dongan also taught literacy.
“I was interested in teaching children literacy and introducing them to English because most children and parents here are overseas contract workers,” said Ipda Dongan.
Subsequently, Ipda Dongan was deployed overseas to serve as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. Upon returning home, he was assigned as a community policing officer at West Rangsang Police Station.
“I continued teaching in Sungai Cina Village and Bina Maju Village. I wanted to make a difference, introduce something new—English—and also teach proper Indonesian literacy,” said Ipda Dongan.
He employs an informal teaching approach when instructing children. Ipda Dongan translates various Indonesian sentences into English and then uses them in game-based formats.
“This makes children happier and more engaged in learning,” said Ipda Dongan.
According to Dongan, children enjoy this learning method more. English is no longer viewed as a foreign subject but as an important skill supporting parents working overseas.
His efforts have garnered significant community testimonials and appreciation. This recognition reached the Riau Police Chief and facilitated Ipda Dongan’s appointment to officer training school.
After completing officer training, Ipda Dongan was entrusted with the responsibility of Deputy Chief of Rangsang Police Station, overseeing two sub-districts: Rangsang and Rangsang Pesisir.
For context, Rangsang Island comprises three sub-districts: Rangsang, Rangsang Pesisir, and West Rangsang.
Ipda Dongan’s Approach
Beyond visiting schools, Ipda Dongan typically teaches English at community gathering places in villages. He employs methods preferred by children.
“For schools, I don’t limit it to one, because children from various schools gather. Children from one village gather together with those from other schools. So it’s not restricted to one school, but mostly village children who gather together,” explained Ipda Dongan.
The number of participating children varies from 10 to 20 persons. The English curriculum he teaches comprises basic introductory materials.
“One aspect is teaching children how to introduce themselves respectfully to parents, teachers, or friends—basic greetings. Second is introducing other people and their schools, or even discussing their aspirations. Then I introduce tenses and sentence structure.