Photo: For the last two years, Petra Paulina Kurupat (in red) has been teaching voluntarily at rural school SDN Camp 3 Asiki (Camp 3 Asiki Public Elementary)
SOUTH PAPUA – Papuan female teachers in places with poor learning infrastructure and weak economies face very “daunting situations”, said a report by UNICEF and Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture.
Unlike their male counterparts, they are “disproportionately exposed to personal risk”, ranging from the lack of safe, close accommodation, long travel distances (for non-resident teachers), to potential violence from local community members.
Married ones are especially subject to community and cultural expectations of staying by their husbands and young children, which affect their attendance rates.
These are real situations for Camp 3 Asiki Public Elementary (SDN Camp 3 Asiki) teacher Petra Paulina Kurupat, although things have been changing. Many young women now pursue their calling in education, and they are strongly driven to share valuable knowledge and set examples for students across Papua.
These ladies receive support from the private sector, including South Papua-based company TSE Group. Its education-oriented Corporate Social Contribution (CSC) initiatives feature honorarium aid for voluntary teachers in frontier and backward areas, where Petra is currently serving.
“From what I see, the honorary [voluntary] teachers here are living very well, thanks to the aid. [As you know,] we get paid by the state once every six months, so the money [from TSE Group] helps cover our needs [during these periods],” she said.
Women teachers bring a new energy to the classroom, with a unique pedagogical approach and high social sensitivity that unlock the deeper meaning of being educators: a noble calling that transforms lives.
“I’ve been teaching at Camp 3 Asiki for two years…it’s where I grew up and ended up working in. Despite [my status as an] honorary teacher, I don’t feel much difference with my state-employed friends when it comes to tasks and responsibilities.”
Petra’s bold career move also reflects progress in Papua’s gender equality journey and a growing awareness of women in education. With dedication and resilience, people like her make great agents of change in the Birds-of-Paradise Land. (PR)
