JAKARTA – We have discussed this before, as reported by BBC News Indonesia, that the housing allowance for each member of the House of Representatives is Rp 50 million per month. Multiply that by 580 members of the House of Representatives, and the total is Rp 29 billion per month, or Rp 348 billion per year. Now, let’s do the math again. What if that money were redirected to education, specifically to build schools like SMART Ekselensia in Bogor or renovate damaged school facilities?
SMART Ekselensia is not an ordinary school. It is a free boarding school for underprivileged children who excel academically. Their education, accommodation, and meals are all covered. This allows children whose parents are struggling financially to focus on their studies without worrying about school fees.
SMART Ekselensia was established in 2004 in Parung, Bogor, and many of its alumni have gone on to study at prestigious universities, with some even receiving scholarships to study abroad. In essence, this school not only provides education, but also proves that opportunities can completely change people’s lives.
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The cost range for one SMART Ekselensia student per year is around Rp 25–30 million. This includes meals, boarding, uniforms, books, learning facilities, and character building. For example, let’s take the figure of Rp 30 million per child per year. Now let’s compare that with the housing allowance budget for members of the House of Representatives: IDR 348 billion ÷ IDR 30 million = approximately 11,600 students could be funded for a full year of boarding school.
Then imagine that there are more than 11,000 underprivileged children who have the opportunity to study for free with top quality, live in dormitories, and be fully facilitated. And if this is divided evenly per province (38 provinces in Indonesia), each province can get around 300 beneficiary children. That is equivalent to creating one mini SMART Ekselensia in each province.
The long-term effect is that underprivileged children have access to quality education equivalent to elite schools, parents don’t have to worry about education costs, they just need to support their children’s learning, and in 10-15 years, thousands of alumni will be ready to become a new generation of smart, critical thinkers who can become future leaders. With the SMART school model, the effect can spread to tens of thousands of families and even change the direction of a generation’s life.
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School rooms at MTs Nahdlatul Ulama, Taman Sejarah Hamlet, West Seram, Maluku, after renovation by the movement to build proper schools together with Is Pusakata, Sisir Kota Pesisir.
In many schools, there are still many classrooms that are far from adequate, with damaged books, and even access to the school requires crossing a fast-flowing/deep river with crocodiles by wooden boat, or crossing a makeshift wooden bridge that is highly risky. Classroom roofs are destroyed, floors are dirt, two classrooms are combined into one, partitions are made of plywood, desks and chairs are worn out, windows are broken, and so on.
Because of these factors, musician Is Pusakata was inspired to start a movement to build proper schools in 3T areas together with Dompet Dhuafa, called Sisir Kota Pesisir. The movement initiated public goodwill, raised around Rp 240 million, and has renovated three classrooms and provided school support packages in the West Seram region of Maluku.
Would you rather spend Rp 348 billion on the “comfort” of a handful of officials, or invest in the future of the nation’s children so that Indonesia has more doctors, teachers, scientists, and leaders who come from humble families?
This year, Sisir Kota Pesisir is back with a bang, spreading the call for education to a second school in Maluku. Of course, we can all contribute to creating a budget with a wide-reaching impact, like at SMART Ekselensia or Sisir Kota Pesisir. Insha Allah, it will be of great benefit. Click here: Help Make It Happen: Build a School for Coastal Children. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Photos: Dhika, DDTV
Editor: Dedi Fadlil