SCHOOL OF PAPUA

I need to know everything about the 
world I live in.

I know everything about my environment.

The sea, the fish, how to catch the fish.

I followed my mother to our agricultural 
land.

I know what to grow, how to 
nurture the plants.

I followed her and I was happy.

So what was so hard? I came back from 
school.

I didn't have to do homework.

Teachers who lived in colonial times, we 
had a different approach to teaching.

How to teach kids to write and read – it's
quite different from how they do it now.

Now they mostly do it by forcing the 
pupils.

Why do we have to give homework to the 
children?

We have to provide them time to play. So 
they have time to play, and sleep well

without heavy burdens on their shoulders.

Otherwise, even when they want to play, 
they remember they have homework.

They ask their mothers but they don't 
understand.

They ask their brothers, and it's nearly 
dark

and tomorrow the homework is due.

So, there's a limitation to the world they 
need to build because of homework.

Too much fear results in stupidity.

Too much fear results in weak thinking.

Because some kids can only see to 
understand.

Others hear to understand.

And other kids do it and understand.

There are many things that we need to 
comprehend in this case.

They may be looking outside but they are 
still listening.

Now, they trap students inside buildings.
Then, the teachers become angry

shouting, "What are you looking at?"

We are just wasting time by interjecting. 
In class we have very limited time.

Now we have this "superior class".

So we separate kids by those who learn 
fast and those who don’t.

The ones who already know a bit, 
let other teachers teach them.

So, we don't simply teach, but consider 
all aspects.

And for coaching, the teacher needs to 
really get close to the kids.

Hold their hands.

We can come and write something down 
and ask students

to repeat this by themselves.

In several meetings with parents, I said, 
“You are limiting these kids just because

of an issue with uniforms”.

“If their uniforms are wet they can just 
come in T-shirts.

If their shoes get stolen or broken send 
them in sandals or even barefoot.”

“The important thing is that the child has the 
eagerness to study.”

If we compare the era of Dutch 
colonisation to today

there is a big difference.

The colonialists didn't just build 
schools, they started by doing research

in the coastal areas, mountains, valleys, 
upstream.

After that, they decided on the kind of 
education model to use.

They created readings where the stories 
were all based on local stories

so the readings for children were based 
on the places where they've been living

from youth to maturity.

The children understood these stories 
because they knew them.

They have pigs, they have fire on their 
farmland and in their houses.

On the beach they usually use fire to 
cook fish.

If you look at how they build schools now

it's too restrictive and traps kids so 
they can't freely enjoy the scenery

the environment, which was created by 
God.

In the old days, they built school walls 
only as high as a small child's shoulders.

So we can see birds fly, clouds, rain, so 
it reduces the boredom of the lesson.

In my school years, a day must be filled 
with singing and drawing.

Usually in the late hours we will sing.

So this learning was based on stimulating 
ideas.

We discussed things by drawing them.

The reason I say this is a Papuan school 
built in Indonesia

is because the majority of students 
here are Papuans.

There are some differences in the way 
that Papuans and non-Papuans

respond to lessons.

If we teach one plus one, immediately the 
non-Papuan kids will have the answer two.

But the Papuan will examine this lesson 
carefully.

One plus one, why does it become two? 
That's not because they are stupid.

No. But because they are very thorough.

That's why the Dutch teachers would not 
mix the Papuan kids with non-Papuans

in one classroom.

It's not discrimination, no.

But if you put the Papuan kids with 
Indonesian kids in one class

the Indonesians will surpass them.

Indonesian parents will support their 
kids to learn at home.

But the Papuans, even if their parents are 
high-ranking officials

they are not used to teaching their 
kids at home.

So, for the teachers this is a big burden.

That's why the Papuan kids need more time 
and a slower pace.

It's not because they are stupid.

But it's like clapping with one hand, 
it doesn't make a sound.

But if parents and teachers are committed 
together, they can clap with two hands.

It will work and benefit the children.