Independence Fighter Sosrokartono Asks The Netherlands To Care For Bumiputra Education In Today's History, August 14, 1899

Indonesian Independence Fighter, Raden Mas Panji (RMP) Sosrokartono. (nu.or.id)

JAKARTA History today, 124 years ago, August 14, 1899, Raden Mas Panji (RMP) Sosrokartono ventured to meet with the candidate for Governor General of the Dutch East Indies Willem Rooseboom in the Netherlands. The meeting made Sosrokartono ask Rooseboom to care for the natives, especially education matters.

Previously, Sosrokartono was known as an educated Bumiputra. The brother of RA Kartini took advantage of this. He absorbs all kinds of knowledge that will be used to educate the nation's children. Kartini was inspired by him.

Sosrokartono is a lucky child. Raden Mas Adipati Aro Samingoen Sosroningrat's third child can attend higher education. Something that is considered expensive by the bumiputras.

This opportunity was not wasted by Sosrokartono. He perpetuated his basic education until he completed the Hogere Burgerschool (high school level) in Semarang. The move made him want to continue his higher education.

The man who will become Soekarno's spiritual teacher is also directed to become an engineer by studying in the Netherlands. His father hopes that Sosrokartono will be able to help develop his hometown in the future.

Polytechnic School te Delft was chosen. His departure to the Netherlands was filled with joy. However, Sosrokartono's soul felt unsuitable to learn engineering. He then chose to swerve. He chose the Department of Literature and Philosophy at Leiden University.

The move made his spirit light up. There is nothing that Sosrokartono doesn't like in the new major. In fact, he slowly began to master dozens of world languages. He was later nicknamed the General from the East.

"The third child of Raden Mas Adipati Ario Samingoen Sosroningrat and Ngasirah left for the Netherlands in 1897, after completing his HBS in Semarang. Initially he entered engineering school in Delft. Not at home, he moved to the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Leiden. To enter Leiden he had to take state exams in the Latin and Greek fields. Sosrokartono's lead at Leiden was Professor Dr Johan Hendrik Kern, an Orientalis. He soon became Kern's favorite", said Kurie Suditomo in his article in Tempo Magazine entitled Wartawan Mooie from the Dutch East Indies (2006).

Education in the Netherlands allows him to access everything. He was even able to perpetuate a meeting with the candidate for Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Willem Rooseboom (he only officially ruled October 1899) before going to Indonesia. The rare and brave meeting took place in the Netherlands on August 14, 1899.

The independence fighter understands that the small access to the education of the bumiputras is a serious problem. He also asked Rooseboom to be more concerned with the education of the bumipurta. Access hopes that access to education will be widely opened. After that, he asked for Dutch to be introduced more broadly to the natives.

On August 14, 1899, Raden Mas Panji Sosrokartono ventured to meet the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies Willem Rooseboom. During the meeting, Sosrokartono asked the Governor General of the new Dutch East Indies to really pay attention to education and teaching in the Dutch East Indies," explained Bakharudin in the book Konseling Catur Murti (2022).