ANIES BASWEDAN: ASTRA MAKES AN EXEMPLARY BREAKTHROUGH IN EDUCATION

ANIES BASWEDAN: ASTRA MAKES AN EXEMPLARY BREAKTHROUGH IN EDUCATION

Gedangsari, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta: PT Astra International Tbk through Michael D. Ruslim –Astra Education Foundation (Yayasan Pendidikan Astra-Michael D. Ruslim, YPA-MDR) makes another important breakthrough in education.

The important breakthrough is a new State Vocational School (SMKN) 2 Gedangsari, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta building. The said building worth Rp. 14.9 billion is a part of Astra International aid with a long-term vision, which is to make vocational school attractive to rural communities that eventually will build and increase the welfare of the community, because integrating elementary, junior high, and vocational school produces independent students.

Therefore, Minister Anies personally requested to be invited to the event, because he feels that its concept is excellent and exemplary for others.

“Today, we witnessed a historical and important moment that is the inauguration of SMKN 2 Gedangsari building. This is a breakthrough from Astra in education field,” says Minister of Culture and Education Anies Baswedan during the inauguration of SMKN 2 Gedangsari building on Thursday, March 5^th 2015.

According to Minister Anies, this is an important breakthrough because education cannot be regarded as government’s responsibility alone. Morally, education is everyone’s responsibility, including the corporations. Astra has shown its initiative in education field by producing breakthroughs from elementary to vocational schools, where schools can be attractive to the rural students and eventually could shape them into professional and self-sufficient individuals.

“The building of SMKN 2,” he says, “reflects Astra’s different perspective in eradicating poverty. Many parties often resolve poverty socially. In fact, there is another way economically.” “We need to increase underprivileged welfares in order for them to do economic activities. Therefore, we need education as a tool that not only educate and broadens their minds, but also increase its surroundings’ welfares,” says Minister Anies.

In Minister Anies’ perspective, Astra is building an escalator that brings people to the top. “So, whoever joins, will be dragged along to the top.”

Dimming Urbanization

“The new building of SMKN 2 Gedangsari,” says Minister Anies, “is hoped to be able to reduce urbanization. With fashion design program focusing on batik, the students of SMKN 2 Gedangsari will become local resources that are able to supply the batik demand, so they would not need to go to the city to increase their welfare. This has a great impact on emerging garment industry in the region.”

“It’s not enough that they are only handed fishes and hooks, but we need to make sure the pool and fishes are there. This is a breakthrough by Astra,” says Minister Anies closing his speech.

The Governor of Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X and Regent Gunungkidul Badingah are present at the inauguration. Director of Astra International Djoko Pranoto handovers the SMKN 2 building to Regent Gunungkidul, who is represented by Regent Badingah.

Djoko Pranoto adds Astra participation through YPA-MDR is intended to promote and give opportunities for young rural generations to obtain a chance to get an excellent education. The initiator founder of YPA-MDR, the late Mr. Michael Dharmawan Ruslim, said “What differentiate us with them, who lives in the countryside, is opportunity. Indonesia will rise and thrive if its citizens are given the same opportunities in getting excellent education,” he said.

Djoko explains that Astra social concern is expressed through four pillars, which are education, environment, SMEs, and health. Aside from that, Astra and its business group also own nine foundations that implement CSR programs. “Right now, one of Astra foundation, YPA-MDR, implements special education program in underprivileged districts,” Djoko adds.

Batik Center

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X expresses his gratitude towards Astra and YPA-MDR aid in building SMKN 2 as a corporate responsibility in education field. “Through fashion design and batik skills, Astra Group has well improved students’ and teachers’ skills.”

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X also set Gedangsari, Gunungkidul as batik center that corresponds with Yogyakarta as The City of Batik.

SMKN 2 Boutique Fashion Design Building was built on a 3,078 square meter of land with the two-story building stands 2,697 square meters. The building consists of offices, classrooms, library, computer and linguistic lab, production unit and teaching factory, exhibition room, business development room, prayer room, and batik veranda.

Rp. 14.9 Billion

All the rooms are fully equipped with extensive learning media and tools. School Building and Facilities Aid was given out based on the building and facilities condition owned by SMKN 2 that previously was insufficient for conducting a well education program. The new SMKN 2 building and facilities construction needed Rp. 14.9 billion funds.

In addition to educational building and facility aid, Astra International, through YPA-MDR has also foster 720 teachers and 11,467 students up until now. SMKN 2 Gedangsari aid is targeted to improve the school human resources competition, mainly the headmaster and teachers in organizing learning activities that develops students’ capabilities in Boutique Fashion Design Program.

Competence Training

Trainings and Batik Art Skill Counseling were also given to teachers and students, so that later on the students have the necessary skills to be an amateur designer in Boutique Batik Fashion. This program is parallel with Michael D. Ruslim-Astra Education Foundation (Yayasan Pendidikan Astra-Michael D. Ruslim) vision, which is to help improve the quality of schools in rural areas, so that its graduates are able to help develop their regions. The integrated and sustainable counseling program from elementary, junior high, and vocational schools is hoped to be able to support Gedangsari Gunungkidul potential to be developed to become Batik center.

Up until now, Astra along with YPA-MDR as its administrator have helped and counseled 50 state own schools, which consists of 29 elementary schools, seven junior high schools, and two vocational schools in Leuwiliang Bogor, Gedangsari Gunungkidul, Pandak Bantul, Tanjungsari, and Merbau Mataram South Lampung and Donorojo Pacitan, and through its subsidiary, PT United Tractors Tbk, Astra has helped three elementary and three junior high schools in Damai and Bentian Besar, West Kutai, and through PT Marga Mandalasakti, Astra has helped six elementary schools in Cikande, Serang.

Especially for assisted schools in Gedangsari, Gunungkidul, aid and counseling has been given to 1,539 students and 105 teachers, which among them are 122 students and 5 teachers of SMKN 2 Gedangsari who learn and teach at this Boutique Fashion Design Skill Program. Apart form that, help has also been given in form of scholarship to 42 SMPN 2 Gedangsari graduates to continue and finish their study to SMKN 2 Gedangsari Boutique Fashion Design Program.

For further information, please contact:
Kristanto
Secretary of Michael D. Ruslim Foundation
Tel: 021-6522555 ext. 3601