One of the main pillars that forms the foundation of modern society is education. A person’s behavior can be measured by how much education we have received, as well as being an important aspect in supporting individual life and in society. Through education, a person acquires knowledge, skills and values that help him develop personally and professionally, making him better prepared to face life’s challenges.
With education, individuals also have the opportunity to get better jobs and improve their standard of living. This means that it can open access to economic opportunities, such as reducing poverty rates, making it easier to plan for the future, and improving the overall quality of life. Education also plays a role in improving health. Educated people tend to be more aware of the importance of health and a healthy lifestyle. This can improve physical, mental and social health. So that it is economically and socially productive by involving education in it, making changes in society’s behavior for the better.
The importance of education is also to preserve local values and culture. Through education, young people can learn about the history, traditions, language and moral values that shape their identity, and can help maintain cultural heritage and strengthen their sense of national identity. Overall, education is a very important foundation for individual and societal development. This is a long-term investment that provides ongoing benefits and retirement reserves.
As said at the beginning, education is an important aspect in supporting human life. This will relate to a “bridge model” that will deliver this education to the wider community. In order to realize that the implementation of education is spread evenly, educational institutions must create whatever means they can so that people receive and make good use of education. If the delivery method is carried out well and is trustworthy, then the implementation of education will spread fairly and evenly.
On the other hand, if this “bridge” is not conveyed well, for example, individuals who want to fulfill their own needs without caring about the people who need it, in the context of education, then the results obtained will have a negative impact, especially in communities located in areas that can be said to be remote from the central area. . One example is providing education funding in rural areas. The government has provided assistance in the form of money which will later be distributed to rural areas which can be used to provide school facilities for students’ learning needs.
However, in the middle of the journey, there are individuals who deliberately take advantage of the moment for their personal needs. This is one of the causes of the lack of progress in the education system in remote areas. Apart from that, the country’s identity will be labeled as low because of the low quality of Indonesia’s Human Resources (HR). The lack of teaching staff who receive allowances that are less commensurate with the results of their teaching efforts is one of the factors in the decline of the education system in the interior.
This condition makes teachers in remote areas only rely on their conscience. So not many people want to become teachers in these remote areas. Talking about education and rural areas, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) feels the same way. This is due to the low economic level. According to them, sending children to school for the majority of residents in small villages is the same as sacrificing money to buy uniforms, give children snacks, provide books, transportation, and many other things that need to be spent on school. So usually, they will choose to ask their children to quickly go to work rather than go to school.
This condition often occurs in families with low educational and economic backgrounds. Education in rural NTT is also often hampered by difficult access to educational facilities. Apart from that, the number of schools in rural areas is still very small compared to those in cities. Children in rural NTT have to travel long distances to get to school. A real example is the students at SDN Lebantour, Koja Doi Village, East Alok District, Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara who have to cross the sea and use a boat to get to their school which is on the other side of the island.
The backwardness of education in rural NTT is also due to the lack of teaching staff available in the area. Not only in terms of quantity, but also in terms of the quality of teaching staff available in the interior. In connection with the initial discussion, in rural areas one teacher often has to teach several classes at once. Supported by limited learning facilities, this condition certainly hampers the teaching and learning process. Inadequate educational facilities are also a factor in lagging behind education in rural NTT, one of which is internet access.
Not only students, teachers also experience difficulties when required to teach by maximizing digital technology. When the teaching and learning process requires students and teachers to rely on internet access, students in rural NTT also experience problems, so that the learning process cannot run optimally. Another factor that can hinder students’ learning process is natural factors. We cannot predict what nature will do to where we live.
One example is in Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. This area was hit by storm Lotus and experienced severe damage, one of which affected the school building. So, this activity will hamper the teaching and learning process for students.
To overcome the many educational problems, it is important for the government, especially educational institutions, and society as a whole to continue to support and advance an education system that is inclusive, high quality and relevant to the needs of the times. It is hoped that the government can deal with individuals who take advantage of opportunities in distributing educational assistance that should be for the community. Meanwhile, the role of society is very influential in increasing the level of education. Because, the object that is the target of the nation’s successors is a society that has self-awareness that education is an aspect that cannot be abandoned.
By: Hanin Naurayani Alifa
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