Bung Karno Holds Engineers In Today's History, May 25, 1926

Bung Karno's portrait while still studying at Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (now: Bandung Institute of Technology). (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 97 years ago, May 25, 1926, a freedom fighter, Soekarno won his engineering bachelor's degree from Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng (now: Bandung Institute of Technology). This graduation made Bung Karno entitled to the title of engineer in front of his name.

Previously, Soekarno's struggle to complete education was not easy. He had to be good at dividing the time between college and fighting. Moreover, when his father-in-law, HOS Tjokroaminoto went to prison and Bung Karno chose not to go to college for a while.

Education was once an expensive item in the archipelago. Only the native people have limited access to it. Soekarno understands that very well. He who got the opportunity to pursue education did not want to waste it.

He studied hard. Bung Karno believes that education is a tool to release the shackles of colonialism. Alias as a savior of the native people. He also began to have plans to continue his education until the Netherlands. That wish was dashed. He did not get the blessing of his parents. As a result, Bung Karno continued his education to Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng.

Instead of just studying for intellectual matters, Bung Karno was actually able to finalize his sensitivity to the small people. The lecture room became his creative garden. There Bung Karno began to finalize the idea of independence.

Every day he always tactics to divide the time between college and movement. Both of them were able to run well. Even though Bung Karno's studies were interrupted.

It was not all because of Bung Karno's movement that made him have no time to study. The reason is purely family matters. At that time, Bung Karno left his studies because the HOS Tjokroaminoto, whose father-in-law was detained in the Netherlands. Bung Karno tried to help the economy of his father-in-law's family.

As a sense of responsibility for his father-in-law's family, while in Surabaya Soekarno worked at a train company owned by the Dutch East Indies government, the Spoor En tramwegen Standard (now: PT Perusahaan Kereta Api Indonesia). According to his confession, most of his income was handed over to his father-in-law's family.

"HOS Tjokroaminoto has been in prison for seven months. He was only released in April 1922 because he was found not guilty. However, Soekarno did not immediately return to Bandung," said Her Suganda in Soekarno's Jejak in Bandung 1921-1934 (2015).

Bung Karno resumed his studies when H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto was released from prison. Soekarno's decision to study was again enthusiastically welcomed by his supporters and lecturers. The Chancellor, especially soekarno, Jan Klopper, advised Soekarno to seriously go to college.

Klopper advised movement activities outside of college to avoid it. The advice was perpetuated so that Bung Karno's college would run smoothly. As a result, Bung Karno's hard work and seriousness paid off. Soekarno was successfully graduated on May 25, 1926. He also has the right to hold the title of engineer in front of his name.

Dengan dua orang teman bangsa Indonesia yang berhasil bersama-sama saya, maka pada tanggal 25 Mei 1926 aku mendapatkan promosi dengan gelar Ingenieur.ljazahku dalam majori teknik sipil menentukan, bahwa aku adalah seorang spesial dalam pekerjaan jalan raya dan pengeriran. Aku sekarang diberi hak untuk menuliskan namanya: Ir. Raden Soekarno.

When he gave me a bachelor's degree in engineering, the university president said: R. Sukarno, this diploma can be torn and shattered into ashes at one time. He is not eternal. Remember, that the only force that can live forever and forever is the character of a person. He will live in the hearts of the people, even after death. I never forget these words, "Soekarno's story as written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Tongue of the Indonesian People (2000).