The smiling 'Bu' Kasur, educators' inspiration

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many adults can still vividly remember the way the late Bu Kasur used to teach them how to sing when they were children on a program broadcast by the state owned TVRI.

Her patience and motherly encouragement never failed to motivate children from three generations, even the most shy ones, to sing along and clap their hands.

Bu Kasur, whose given name is Sandiah, died on Oct. 22, 2002 from a stroke and high blood pressure. She is survived by five children and 11 grandchildren.

She was known as a modest woman, a dedicated educator, a children's song composer and a loving mother figure not only to her children and grandchildren but also to thousands of other children, who she and her husband, the late Pak Kasur, nurtured together.

In 1946, Bu Kasur married Pak Kasur, whose given name was Suryono. The name "Kasur" was a misnomer that came from "Kak Sur" or Big Brother Sur.

The couple set up the Mini Setia Balita Kindergarten at their own home on Jl. Cikini V, Central Jakarta in 1968 and now it has four branches in Jakarta and Tangerang. They also set up the Sanggar Taman Putra and Taman Pemuda groups, where noted comedians Ateng and Iskak, singer Broery Pesolima and President Megawati Soekarnoputri once played.

When Pak Kasur died in 1992, she ran the kindergartens herself.

Bu Kasur always modestly said that it was Pak Kasur who introduced her to children and education. Both dedicated their entire lives and works to children.

Some child educators described the couple as extraordinary figures, others dubbed them Dwi Tunggal (inseparable duo), whose patience and dedication provided many children with good examples and proper guidance.

"A good upbringing is important for children aged 4, 5 and 6 years old so they can grow and become civilized people with personalities and sound moral values. And I think, many children received it from both Bu Kasur and Pak Kasur. We are lucky to have an unparalleled couple, like them," says noted children's song composer A.T. Mahmud.

Mahmud remembers Bu Kasur as a kind, sincere and consistent person with a warm personality when he was still working with TVRI. "Although we never worked together I knew her and her husband well," he added.

The work of the couple inspired other child educators like noted child psychologist Seto Mulyadi, who once worked at the couple's kindergarten. Seto once said that he personally and professionally looked up to Bu Kasur, whom he described as a rare role model for teachers.

Children's story book writer Murti Bunanta recalls that apart from her dedication, Bu Kasur was also humble, down to earth and always wanted to learn more about the world of children.

"Those are the qualities that made her a good example. And even though she was more experienced than I am, she always wanted to learn from others, including younger and less-experienced people.

"I noticed her attentively listening to my explanation during a seminar. She also attended the launching of one of my books," Murti says.

Murti says that she and Bu Kasur share a common but not yet materialized goal, which she cannot revealed just yet. "I received constructive input from her on how to achieve that and am very grateful for that," she said.

Most remember her as a smiling teacher.

Suyadi, whose voice was recorded for Pak Raden a character from the Si Unyil puppet show, recalled that Bu Kasur's presence and her smiles could induce happiness to her surroundings.

"I've never seen her frown, sad or mad and when she taught she never did it without menggurui (or dictating). Children can easily ingest her simple yet advice-loaded words," he says.

And though at first Bu Kasur only helped her husband with lyrics, she eventually created dozens of her own songs, including the well-known Kucingku (My Cat), Bertepuk Tangan (Clapping Hands) and Main Sembunyi (Hide and Seek).

"Her songs are educative yet short, simple and easily remembered by children, so are her children's stories," Suyadi recalled of the smiling teacher.

"I remembered back in 1985 when we were invited to Sweden, Bu Kasur taught Swedish children a song, which goes like this "tiga ... tiga ... sayang adik kakak" (three, I love my older and younger brother/sister) but local children, mostly single children, could not understand it and Bu Kasur just smiled and kindly explained that the song was written for Indonesian children," Suyadi says, laughing.

And though she already died, sweet memories of Bu Kasur will live on with the parents she taught to sing as children, and their children's children.