Antonius Tanan, Opening the Future

Esther Lince Napitupulu

· 6 minutes read

The trust given by businessman Ciputra to run an entrepreneurship education by leading the Ciputra Entrepreneurship Center in 2006 brought Antonius Tanan, 59, to an unimaginable experience. He must begin designing entrepreneurship education pedagogies for educators to teach entrepreneurship until they finally come into contact with street children, commercial sex workers and Indonesian migrant workers.

Antonius wholeheartedly believes what Ciputra believes that entrepreneurship education can be a solution to the problems of poverty and unemployment in Indonesia. Entrepreneurship education is not just a matter of commerce/business, but it must be based on creativity and innovation so that entrepreneurs can turn garbage into gold.

Anxiety over the high rate of unemployment among youths and educated people makes it important to introduce entrepreneurship to the world of education. A generation of entrepreneur was created with the 3L formula, namely lahir (birth), lingkungan (environment) and latihan (practice). People born to a family of businessmen, such as Ciputra, experience business since birth and learn entrepreneurship from their families. Then, they could also learn from the surrounding environment that inspires entrepreneurship. Next, people can learn entrepreneur through practice because most Indonesian young people are not born and raised in an entrepreneurial environment.

Antonius, who was appointed as president of the Ciputra Entrepreneurship Center/University of Ciputra Entrepreneurship Center (CEC/UCEC), was diligently seeking breakthroughs and innovation in running the entrepreneur education. In the education world, of course, the schools under the Ciputra group become examples of introducing entrepreneurship from an early age through the curriculum. Everything is carried out in a creative and innovative learning atmosphere and with

learning that provides direct and reflective experience (experiential learning).

Antonius managed to work with the Kauffman Foundation, an international institution that focuses on developing entrepreneurship education. The spirit of entrepreneurship education continues to be spread, one of them is by holding the 2010 Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in Indonesia. GEW is conducted in 100 countries to introduce young people from all over the world to entrepreneurship.

For Antonius, dealing with the development of entrepreneurship education is not just about carrying out duties as as leader. He then found a personal mission to be able to participate in creating a new future for those who got inspiration from entrepreneurship education developed by UCEC.

Touched

Antonius recalled a moment that touched his heart, seeing Ciputra sobbing when explaining his determination to give birth to a generation of entrepreneurs in Indonesia during an interview with Kompas in his office in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in October 2007. "I was suddenly called by Pak Ci, \'Antonius, you must train the most despicable person in Indonesia.\' For me, that is a vague order. I did not dare to answer immediately. I just said I wanted to practice first because I never did this," said Antonius.

He then interpreted the message by training people who were at risk or unlucky. He started by training 10 children in Surabaya, but it was not easy. Because, to be able to give a simple idea to them was difficult.

Antonius was also present at the graduation of Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong who took entrepreneurship classes in June 2019. He and UCEC supported the community of Intelligent Migrant Workers (BMC) which held entrepreneurship classes for Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong.

Honestly, it feels odd facing the sex workers directly. However, I must be able to make entrepreneurship education that changes their future. At Dupak, their payments are lower than in Dolly. We come with an approach to respect them.

Antonius is always involved in training and interacting with participants. After trying with street children, he continued entrepreneurship education for commercial sex workers (CSWs). This initiative was driven by the policy of the Surabaya City Administration, which wanted to close the Dolly brothel. The occupants were transferred to Dupak. There were 28 ex-prostitutes, pimps and people around who joined the 2012 Hope Women program.

"Honestly, it feels odd facing the sex workers directly. However, I must be able to make entrepreneurship education that changes their future. At Dupak, their payments are lower than in Dolly. We come with an approach to respect them," Antonius said.

The education is carried out with direct practice that they understand. They are challenged to build a dream, not with words. Every former sex worker was given Rp 50,000, then they were escorted to a famous shop that sells all kitchen utensils for culinary purposes. Everyone was free to buy a tool and must explain the reason.

"When asked why they bought the tool, all of a sudden they could answer. For example, they wanted to start a coffee kiosk or something. At first, it was difficult to be able to discuss with them about their dreams," said Antonius.

After four years, he was touched, one of the former sex workers who had joined the training, sent photos of her business.

According to Antonius, the approach in entrepreneurship training is not single given the diverse problems. "That is the challenge for educators. In entrepreneurship education, it is not what to teach, but how to teach. Educators must think. That is pedagogy," said Antonius who holds a doctorate in pedagogy.

The mission to inspire communities that are at risk to progress through entrepreneurship education during the past eight years was also carried out by Antonius with UCEC for migrant workers in Singapore and Hong Kong. Antonius, who took his bachelor\'s degree in online learning,

applied online learning by utilizing social media. There is the CEC School of Life Facebook group and the WhatsApp chat group to help migrant workers have capital to build their own businesses after working overseas.

In mid-June 2019, Antonius visited migrant workers in Hong Kong to train and witness their graduation from entrepreneurship classes. He was amazed by the number of migrant workers influenced by the UCEC, then independently developed entrepreneurship education for fellow migrant workers in Hong Kong.

"As a teacher, I can\'t stand to meet students who are passionate and thirsty for knowledge. There is no choice but to share and train as best as you can," Antonius said.

The life of migrant workers really touched Antony\'s heart. "There is a sense of pity because I know that none of them aspires to work far away from their families. However, it was also amazing that they decided to study in all the difficulties. I feel honored to be able to inspire and accompany them to study," Antonius said.

At the end of 2018, he decided to retire early despite having a position as one of the senior directors in the Ciputra group. He wanted to focus more on developing research and innovation in education, especially pedagogy in entrepreneurship education.

Antonius Tanan

Born: Kuningan, 9 April 1960

Wife: Jeni Putri Tanan

Children: Johan Abdiel Tanan (22) & Iona Dorothy Putri Tanan (19)

Job:

1. Executive at Ciputra Education Foundation & lecturer at Ciputra University

2. Working for 31 years with Ciputra Group (1987-2018)

Education:

1. Bachelor in Civil Engineering at Parahyangan Catholic University in

Bandung (graduated in 1984)

2. Master at Prasetya Mulya Management School, Jakarta (graduated in 1987)

3. Master at University College London (UCL), UK, majoring Urban Development (graduated in1996)

4. Master in University of Connecticut, US, majoring education for special/gifted children (graduated in 2010)

5. Doctor in Athabasca University, Canada, on distance learning (graduated in 2017)

Editor:

kompascetak antonius tanan