The Promise of a Dream
Supporting children to go back to school in South Sulawesi
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Nurjanah, 12, met with Gita Gutawa during her visit to Bone, South Sulawesi, as part of the Back-to-School Movement. A middle school student, Nurjanah is unable to go back to school as she is responsible for caring for her grandmother and chronically ill aunt at home.
The travel to Nurjanah’s house involved a journey on a katinting, a traditional wooden boat, for 10 minutes after leaving the Tawaroe Village Office.
“I’d love to go back to school and be with my friends to study. But it’s just not possible for me, because there’s no one else to care for my aunt and grandma.”
Nurjanah dreams of becoming a singer or a musician. Her parents had to ask her to drop out of school because they do not earn enough to support their family of seven at home.
The Tawaroe Village Head has offered Nurjanah the chance to join a non-formal education programme called Package B, the equivalent of a junior high school education, so that she can continue her studies. Nurjanah now visits the Sipaketau Community Learning Centre three times a week and is able to adjust her schedule with her caregiving duties at home.
“When encouraged to continue their schooling, many children – including adolescents – prefer non-formal education at Community Learning Centres that are more suited to their needs. UNICEF supports the efforts to strengthen non-formal education so that children and teens who do choose this track can benefit from an inclusive, quality education that fits their interests and talents.”
Nurjanah’s favourite classes in the Sipaketau Community Learning Centre include dancing, singing and poetry reading. She wants to continue pursuing her education, including to tertiary level. She hopes that she will get the opportunity to do so and a scholarship to help her realise her dreams.
“The journey I made to meet Nurjanah and the other young people who are going back to school was an unforgettable experience. They are young, but their dreams are ambitious. Through the collaboration of UNICEF and Di Atas Rata-rata, I want us to inspire each other, motivate each other, and together help Indonesian children reach their dreams.” Gita Gutawa – Founder & Producer of Children’s Musicals ‘Di Atas Rata-rata’.
