MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA – Chairperson of Muhammadiyah Irwan Akib mentioned that the vision of Muhammadiyah founder Ahmad Dahlan to open access to education for women continues to inspire efforts to empower communities and advance the nation.
Irwan emphasized that Ahmad Dahlan’s belief in the importance of educating women plays a key role in building a stronger nation.
“The rise of women is directly linked to the rise of a nation’s civilization,” said Irwan in the launch of the “Sejuta Guru TalentDNA” (One Million Teacher TalentDNA) program conducted by ‘Aisyiyah and the Muhammadiyah Council for Elementary, Secondary, and Non-formal Education on Tuesday, May 20.
Irwan pointed out that Aisyiyah has taken real action to support this vision by helping the government improve education across the country. One example is the operation of more than 20,000 early childhood education institutions, which serve communities that the government has yet to reach.
“These schools are Muhammadiyah way of supporting the government in educating the nation. With such a large population, the government cannot do it alone. Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah are present where the government is not.”
Irwan explained that Aisyiyah provides a strong foundation for young learners through its kindergartens, known as Taman Kanak-kanak Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal (TK ABA), while Muhammadiyah ensures continued access to education at higher levels.
Irwan also pushed for equal treatment of early childhood educators. He noted that under current law, early childhood education teachers are not officially recognized as teachers, even though they carry similar responsibilities.
“PAUD teachers have the same workload as other teachers. Teaching young children requires extra patience and a wide range of skills,” emphasized Irwan.
Irwan called for changes in policy so that early childhood teachers are not classified as non-formal educators.
“We must advocate for their recognition as formal teachers,” he added.
