By Paschal Tethool
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Merauke – suaraanaknegerinews.com |“Rather than cursing the darkness, it is better to light small candles.” This timeless saying finds its truest meaning in the story of SMP Negeri Buti Merauke, a junior high school standing quietly on the edge of Lampu Satu Beach, about six kilometers from the center of Merauke, South Papua. Modest in size and resources, the school is often regarded as a “fringe” institution—one surrounded by challenges rather than privileges. Yet from this unassuming place, a bright and determined spirit has emerged: a commitment to create and to progress, despite every limitation.
Most of the students at SMPN Buti are children of the Malind Buti people, alongside peers from Asmat, Makassar, Maluku, and Java. Their school, once viewed with indifference due to its remote location and lack of facilities, has now become a living symbol of perseverance and renewal.
Over the past decade, SMPN Buti has embarked on a quiet but profound transformation. The school continues to struggle with limited infrastructure, an insufficient number of teachers, the absence of a protective fence, and familiar social issues—truancy, juvenile mischief, and students who still struggle to read, write, or count fluently. Yet, the spirit of change never faltered. The principal and teachers joined hands to identify the roots of their challenges and to design creative solutions for improving the quality of education.
Guided by the motto “Ad Omne Opus Bonum Semper Paratus” — Always ready for every good deed — the entire school community, from the leadership to teachers, administrative staff, parents, and students, began moving in unity. Their collective effort was grounded in simple but transformative acts: cultivating cleanliness, managing waste properly, tending school gardens, running an honesty canteen, and organizing daily assemblies. They also provided meals for students, personally delivered report cards to parents’ homes, and encouraged participation in sports, scouting, and arts.
These efforts shared a single purpose — to help students fall in love with their school, and to nurture their intellectual and emotional growth, step by step.
A major turning point came in 2021, when SMPN Buti introduced a contextual learning innovation known as the Gotong Royong Curriculum. In the local language, it is called Mba Izakod Make Zazahi — meaning Together We Can. The concept was born from the school’s determination to address the unique educational challenges of frontier areas. Its principle is both simple and profound: “Together, we can.”
Under this model, teachers, parents, and students became equal partners in the learning process. The conventional idea of teachers as the sole source of knowledge gave way to an approach that empowers students to explore, question, and share. Local wisdom was elevated as the main learning resource, while English and Information Technology (ICT) were integrated as essential elements of modern education.
The transformation deepened when PT Acer Indonesia, through its CSR program, donated a smart screen and 25 Chromebooks. The arrival of this technology became a new source of energy, igniting digital innovation across the school. Learning activities under the Gotong Royong Curriculum adopted a group-based system: students were divided into teams of five to eight members, with each team entrusted with a Chromebook. Together, they developed study materials and digital presentations, which were later refined through collaborative discussions and scientific inquiry.
Every student took turns leading and contributing—creating slides, designing visuals, and producing educational videos using Canva. Beyond mastering technology, they were learning confidence, teamwork, and accountability.
The journey of SMPN Buti proves one essential truth: limitations are not barriers, but catalysts for creativity. In the hands of those who choose to dream and work together, scarcity becomes strength, and obstacles become pathways toward innovation.
From this small seaside school in Papua, a light continues to shine—steady, hopeful, and resilient.
For as their guiding words remind us:“Rather than cursing the darkness, light small candles.”
