A "Coolie for Early Childhood Education" at the Borderland

Kompas/Iwan Setiyawan

Yap Beyleto

Helping prepare the nation’s golden generation is Petrus Yoseph Bayleto’s special mission. He lived through the horrors of civil war and now he feels called upon to build the foundation of nationalism at the borderland. His unusual path towards the spirit of nationalism has brought him to multiple new worlds, including that of filmmaking.

“I am a coolie for early childhood education [PAUD]. That’s it! As a coolie, I have to work well so that my masters are satisfied. The children are my masters. They are the inheritors of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia [NKRI]. It is them who will ensure that the Red and White flag will fly higher in 2045,” said Petrus Yoseph Bayleto, or Yap for short.

He diligently worked to prepare Indonesia’s golden generation through his Fajar Usia Emas PAUD center in Tenukik sub-district, East Tasifeto, Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara. One Tuesday morning in early August, around 40 children ranging from 3 to 6 years old were playing joyfully at the PAUD center established six years ago. Their shouts and shrills filled the air as they ran around.

Three teachers were there to oversee the children, who were split into two classes. Two teachers were teaching the smaller students to wash their hands after playing. One by one, the toddlers took their turn washing their hands in a small water fountain.

“Bella, the one with the purple shirt, is the child of ex-refugees [from the formerly East Timor province, currently Timor Leste]. That one with the red socks is, too. Some of the children are from other religions or ethnicities,” Yap said.

No matter what their cultural background, the children at the PAUD center played around and socialized with each other freely; there is no difference in treatment.

“Won’t we be more gracious by respecting our differences? By not feeling that we are always right all the time,” Yap said while monitoring the children from his house’s veranda.

The PAUD center is located at his home. It uses an empty portion of his front yard.

Tolerance is the main lesson for children at the Fajar Usia Emas PAUD center. In its classroom filled with colorful posters, you will easily find explanations on the many religions and ethnicities in Indonesia. There is also an explanation of the physical features of Indonesian children and a map of the country.

Most of the posters were printed by Yap, using resources he found on the internet. The PAUD center was included in Save the Children’s list of 12 best integrated and holistic PAUD centers in Belu regency.

Yap said that he hoped his students will always remember his lessons on tolerance that would help them be the glue for the nation in the future.

Another thing he continuously preaches, including to teachers, is the importance of guarding the spirit of nationalism.

“NKRI is final. Our duty is how to instill these values to our children. This is why, when we sing national songs in the morning, I always remind our teachers to teach the students to respect the songs,” he said.

Children as investments

Fajar Usia Emas PAUD was officially established in 2013. Some 40 percent of the budget needed to construct the center was from Yap and his family, including from loans. The rest came from the government.

Before managing the PAUD center, Yap was a child protection activist in Belu regency. He participated in PAUD training in 2010. It was then that he became interested in establishing a PAUD center, as there had yet to be one in his neighborhood.

Through various efforts, a 6 by 5-meter classroom was finally constructed. After finding teachers willing to work at the center, Yap visited his neighbors who had children between 3 and 6 years old to introduce Fajar Usia Emas PAUD. He also printed brochures and distributed them around several places.

His efforts finally gained results. Some 30 parents registered their children. At first, Yap did not charge any fees. It was only in 2013 that he set a fee of Rp 20,000 (US$1.5) per student per month.

“This year, we will increase the fee to Rp 25,000 per month. However, we do not set any target in fee collection, due to the economic condition of many locals here. The most important thing is that their children get an education," he said.

The teachers’ monthly salary of Rp 200,000 is secured through loans. Often, Yap’s personal revenue from his grocery shop is used to cover the PAUD center’s operational costs.

Path in life

Yap has led an unusual life. His grandmother from his father’s side was from the Kemak tribe in what is now Timor Leste, who migrated to Atambua in 1911. Her family then grew in Atambua, with children and then grandchildren. Yap, who grew up in Atambua since 1995, once worked in Dili – which was still part of Indonesia at the time.

“In 1999, I witnessed civil war with my own eyes. I do not want that to happen again. Nothing is gained in war,” said Yap with tears in his eyes.

Upon returning to Atambua, Yap started a new life. He worked as a project supervisor and then as a social activist.

Due to his social activities, Yap was once involved in the shooting of a documentary produced and directed by Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza. Afterwards, Mira and Riri made a feature film on the social conditions of Atambua titled Atambua 39 Derajat Celsius (Atambua 39 Degree Celsius).

Through a casting process, Yap was chosen to star as an ex-refugee who had to leave his wife and daughter behind in Timor Leste.

“The character was portrayed as often being drunk and angry. I can do that. The problem came when I was told to cry. It was so difficult,” said Yap, who had no professional acting background.

Yap’s physical features, with his 180-centimeter height and thick hair and mustache, is rather unsuitable for crying.

However, after the film was released, Yap gained widespread praise for his role. At the 2013 Indonesian Movie Awards, he won the Best Supporting Actor award. Yap could not attend the ceremony and the late veteran actor Didi Petet received the award for him.

Why does he not teach acting to the young people in his neighborhood?

“For now, I wish to focus on the PAUD center. I also want to go to university. I feel I don’t have enough skills as a vocational high school graduate. I am fighting for the teachers at my PAUD center to get a change to go to university,” Yap said.