MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA — President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto paid tribute to the nation’s teachers at the peak of the 2024 National Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Jakarta International Velodrome on Thursday, November 8. In a heartfelt speech, President Prabowo expressed a deep personal connection to the teaching profession, sharing that his father was also an educator.
“I feel a deep connection to all of you because my father was a teacher. Perhaps because of this, since childhood, I have been taught that teachers are pioneers and heroes of Indonesia’s development,” he said.
President Prabowo delved into the historical significance of teachers in Indonesia’s struggle for independence. Before figures like Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, and Sutan Syahrir emerged, Indonesia had Ki Hajar Dewantara and great scholars in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). They instilled in the younger generation the values of struggle, dedication, the courage to defend truth, justice, honesty, and the honor and sovereignty of the nation
The President also highlighted the contributions of teachers who fought for independence, noting that the first commander-in-chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces was a teacher.
“We should remember our first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces was a teacher,” he said.
General Soedirman: A Teacher Turned the First Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces
The first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces who was also a teacher that President Prabowo referred to was General Soedirman. Before becoming a military leader, General Soedirman was a teacher at a Muhammadiyah school. As an educator, he played a crucial role in shaping the character and national spirit of the younger generation.
General Soedirman was also actively involved in Hizbul Wathan, the Muhammadiyah scouting. It was in Hizbul Wathan that his spirit of nationalism was nurtured and strengthened, eventually leading him to join the People’s Security Agency (Pembela Tanah Air/PETA). These experiences formed the foundation for his later role as a prominent military leader in Indonesia’s history.
President Prabowo concluded his speech by emphasizing that many of Indonesia’s national heroes had backgrounds in education, serving as teachers, professors, or doctors. This, he argued, further underscores the pivotal role of teachers in building and advancing the nation.
