Ki Hajar Dewantara
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| Ki Hajar Dewantara |
Raden Mas
Soewardi Soeryaningrat was born in Yogyakarta on May 2nd 1889. He came
from Pakualaman family, the son of GPH Soerjaningrat, grandson of Pakualam III
and grew up in a family of Yogyakarta Kingdom.
Then, in 1922
when he was 40 years old (according to the count of Caka Year), Raden Mas
Soewardi Soeryaningrat changed his name to Ki Hadjar Dewantara.
Since that
time, he was no longer using a knighthood in front of his name. Based on the
Indonesian spelling in since 1972, its name is misspelled as Ki Hajar
Dewantara.
Ki Hajar
Dewantara ever studied at Europeesche Lagere School (ELS) at the Dutch colonial
era it is an elementary school in Indonesia.
After
graduating from ELS, then he went to STOVIA (Bumiputera Medical School) is a
school for the education of indigenous doctors in Batavia in the Dutch colonial
era. This time it became the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia.
Although he could not complete his education because of illness.
Ki Hajar
Dewantara worked as a writer and journalist in various newspapers, such as:
Tjahaja Timoer, Midden Java, De Expres, Sediotomo, Kaoem Moeda, Poesara, and
Oetoesan Indies. His writing is very communicative and brave with anti-colonial
spirit.
Besides working
as a writer, he was also active in social and political organizations. Since
1908, the beginning of the Boedi Utomo (BO), he was active in the propaganda
section to socialize the Indonesian public awareness about the importance of a
sense of unity in the nation.
Not only that,
it turns Ki Hajar Dewantara also known as a prominent pioneer of education for
the natives of Indonesia from the Dutch colonial era.
In fact, he
managed to establish a school of the National University Student Park (National
Institute of Taman Siswa Onderwijs) on July 3rd 1922.
At first the
Dutch colonial government attempted to deter his plan. Dutch government issued
a Wild School Ordinance on October 1st 1932. However, because of his
persistence and struggle, the ordinance was finally lifted.
The college
emphasizes a sense of nationality to indigenous education so that they love the
nation and homeland and fight for independence.
Ki Hajar
Dewantara’s been appointed as Minister of Teaching Indonesia referred to as the
Minister of Education, Teaching and Culture in the cabinet of the first
Republic of Indonesia.
For his service
pioneered education in Indonesia, in 1957 he received an honorary doctorate
(doctor honoris causa, Dr.H.C.) of the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM).
Finally, he was
declared as Father of National Education of Indonesia, as well as his birth day
serves as National Education Day.
Ki Hajar
Dewantara died on 26th April 1959 in Yogyakarta. He was buried at the
Taman Wijaya Brata, tombs for Taman Siswa’s family. His face was also
immortalized on the Indonesian currency denomination of old 20,000 rupiahs
