03/05/2026
Why 2 May ?
In Indonesia, 2 May is commemorated annually as National Education Day. The date is corresponded to the anniversary of one of the nation’s foremost educational figures, Ki Hajar Dewantara, born Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat.
He established a school for indigenous Indonesians known as Taman Siswa in Yogyakarta in July 1922.
Notably, KH. Ahmad Dahlan had, in fact, already founded educational institutions and developed an inclusive system of education accessible to all as early as 1912. By 1918, these initiatives had expanded across residencies in Central Java and Yogyakarta.
It appears that the designation of National Education Day—its date, form, and mode of commemoration—has been inseparable from the political choices of those in power. The selection of 2 May as National Education Day was formalized on december 1959 during the “Orde Lama”,
in what may be interpreted as an effort to diminish and obscure the historical role of educational movements rooted in Islamic traditions.
Fast forward Today, KREA have the opportunity to design numerous schools and educational buildings. Through this work, we aspire to uphold the ideals of Ki Hajar Dewantara and, indeed, the Enlightener, Sang Pencerah, KH Ahmad Dahlan.
Education, in this sense, is a means of empowerement and intellectual advancement—one that fosters societal welfare and brings benefit for all creation.
Al-Ikhlas school Cipete, Jakarta Selatan
PIC :
