Bung Karno's Career As A Teacher Ended With Dismissal

President Soekarno had a career as a teacher before finally being fired by the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. (Life)

JAKARTA - Soekarno's struggle to escape the shackles of colonialism was not easy. He needed large funds to realize the ideals of independence. Moreover, at that time Bung Karno was still in college. Inggit Garnasih also intervened. Inggit moved as the backbone of the family until Bung Karno became an engineer.

However, Bung Karno couldn't let go. He also helped a little bit of his family's needs. Big boy also pursued a career as a teacher. Improving teaching was done. Even though he was later fired for that.

The city of Bandung has an important meaning for Bung Karno as a freedom fighter. Bung Karno's sensitivity to the condition of the bumiputras was even more honed. He felt that Dutch colonialism made the natives miserable.

The narrative made Bung Karno not stay silent. He, who is listed as a student at the Technische Hoogeschool (cial bakal Institute of Technology Bandung: ITB) chose to enter the world of movement. He actively gathered with other freedom fighters.

This activity was taken seriously. Everything is to spread ideas of independence to make it wider. This condition is fully supported by his wife, Inggit Garnasih. The woman who is familiarly called Inggit sees her husband's struggle will not be smooth if she has to be charged with the thought of making a living, learning, and fighting at one time.

Inggit took the initiative to move to help Bung Karno. Inggit later became the backbone of the family. From selling powder to cigarettes. All of this was done to support his family, including financing her husband's struggle.

"I already know that Kusno is a student. I feel obliged to accompany him so that he can get his title quickly. That is his main task coming in Bandung. He must be an engineer. However, in the not long time of my introduction, I was able to capture his true goals.."

"He will not prioritize raising wealth. This means I have to work hard, especially when Kusno is still in school. But I have been prepared for that. I have used to work. I have used to earn my own living with my own sweat, and I struggled for it," said Inggit Garnasih as processed by Ramadan KH in the book Kuntar to Gate: The Love Story of Mrs. Inggit and Bung Karno (1988).

Bung Karno after becoming an engineer did like to live with Inggit Garnasih. However, Bung Karno also helped with family finances a little. He and his friends opened the architect bureau.

He knew the bureau did not bring much revenue coffers. Mainly because he refused to work in government. As a result, Soekarno chose to register himself as a teacher at the Ksatrian Institute. A school organized by his friend Ernest Douwes Dekker (later known as Danudirja Setiabudi) in 1924.

Ksattan Instituut happens to be looking for a teacher to fill out definite and historical lessons. Soekarno is confident. However, he has a problem. Maybe he is full of history students, but not with definite knowledge.

Ernest had asked about Soekarno's ability to teach knowledge. Soekarno answered convincingly: he could. The answer was driven by the dwindling financial condition of his family.

He then started his career as a teacher. Soekarno taught students from the Dutch natives, China, and Indo. In fact, one of his students is the son of his ex-in-law, HOS Tjokroaminoto, Anwar Tjokroaminoto.

Problems also arise. No one taught Bung Karno how to teach. He could not even approach the official method of teaching at the Ksatrian Institute. Even though Soekarno is sufficient for history lessons.

only historical lessons were taught by Bung Karno by providing a full understanding of history with political analysis. He did not want to keep his students busy studying history by only memorizing names, years, or places. The method made him like a development in the world of Dutch-era education.

The classroom atmosphere is alive. The whole class was fascinated by the way Soekarno taught. Later, the method in fact angered the school supervisor from the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. Instead of supporting them, they were not pleased with how to teach Bung Karno.

All because Bung Karno often mocked the colonial government in class. This action made Bung Karno fired. Bung Karno is considered a supervisor not a true teacher, but he is an orator. After all, his space is not in the classroom, but on stage.

Incidentally, this lesson is related to imperialism. Because I am very good at mastering the subject of this problem, I became so excited that I jumped through the leap and condemned the entire system. Can you imagine? In front of the Dutch school viewers who looked at me with a disbelieving face, I really called the Netherlands a cursed colonialist. "

"When both of my lessons and stories are finished, the school viewer declares arbitrarily that according to his opinion I am actually not the best teacher he has ever seen and that I do not have a good future in this work. He said to me: Raden Soekarno, the master is not a teacher, the host is a speaker! And this is the end of my short career as a teacher," said Soekarno in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Tongue of the Indonesian People (2000).