Lala’s Quest to Shape Indonesian Education

That afternoon, the scorching heat blanketed the Student Corner at Campus 1 of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS). Beneath the shade of a tree that barely blocked the blazing sun, we met Cavella Noor Putri Anisa, or fondly known as Lala. With a warm smile, the UMS Mathematics Education student greeted us.

Lala was born in Jepara as the youngest of three siblings. She grew up in a family that strongly upheld the values of independence. Her father, Nur Kholis, and her mother, Khasanah Kuswarini, are electronic shop entrepreneurs who never missed a chance to encourage their children to always give their best effort. However, the way they motivated Lala had a unique touch.

“My mom never asked about my grades but would always say, ‘Did you score 100 on today’s math exam, dear? It’s kind of funny, but it shaped me to continuously challenge myself, especially in subjects that are considered difficult by many, like mathematics,” Lala said on Monday (2/12/2024)..

Lala has a particular interest in mathematics. She admitted that her initial dream was to enroll in a pure mathematics program. However, since UMS did not offer that program, she opted for mathematics education instead. Besides her love for mathematics, there was another reason that solidified her decision to choose the program.

“Most of my extended family members are teachers. This profession has standardized holidays set by the government, right? So, if I become an educator, it’ll be easier to arrange time to gather with my extended family. This reason might sound strange, but my family has a tradition of spending holidays together. The only ones who rarely get to join are my parents because of their work,” she laughed.

Cavella Noor Putri Anisa. Imam Safi'i/UMS PR

Her decision to continue her studies at UMS was also supported by the Kiai Haji Ahmad Dahlan Scholarship, a full scholarship awarded to outstanding Muhammadiyah cadres. Lala has been actively involved in Muhammadiyah organizations for a long time. Since junior high school, she has been part of the IPM (Muhammadiyah Student Association) and eventually became the Vice Director of Facilitators for IPM in Central Java.

“I also joined the IMM (Muhammadiyah Student Association) in college. But I stopped participating in all organizations by the fifth semester. I felt I had dedicated enough time to IPM and IMM. Now, I want to focus on things that are more relevant to education,” she explained.

As a student, Lala has been active as a laboratory assistant in her program. This role gave her the opportunity to build closer relationships with lecturers and broaden her academic experiences.

“Being a lab assistant is a big responsibility, and we’re required to know all the lecturers. Through this role, I’ve found a lot of great opportunities, including joining the SEA Teacher Program,” Lala shared.

Lala’s grand adventure began when she was selected for the SEA Teacher Program. This program, an ASEAN’s initiative, allows education students to teach in ASEAN countries. In 2023, Lala was placed in the Philippines, where she taught at an elementary school for an entire month.

“The program is divided into four stages. During the first week, we were invited to observe. In the second week, we started learning about the educational instruments used there. The third week was when we began teaching. Finally, in the fourth week, we conducted final teaching sessions, which were assessed. The language we used to teach was English,” Lala explained carefully.

Lala (tenth from the left, second row) during the SEA Teacher Program in the Philippines  (16/10/2023). 

Teaching abroad was a significant challenge for Lala, especially since she had to teach in a foreign language. However, the SEA Teacher program provided her with new insights into cross-cultural education systems. She learned that every country has its own unique approach to educating its younger generation, which enriched her perspective as a future educator.

Lala’s experiences in prestigious academic programs did not end there. Upon returning to Indonesia, she was surprised to find out that the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) at UMS would be hosting exchange students from the Philippines.

“It turns out FKIP UMS has an extensive international network, including partnerships with universities in the Philippines. After I came back to Indonesia, our faculty happened to host students from the University of Northern Philippines who came to study and share experiences at UMS,” she added.

Unexpectedly, UMS later welcomed another group of exchange students from Mariano Marcos State University. Each program lasted for one month. The program, named Buddies Student Exchange, offered students the opportunity to interact directly with their peers from the Philippines.

“As members of the Buddies program, we didn’t just learn about Filipino culture, it was more about exchanging experiences, we also introduced them to campus life at UMS and even organized a city tour for them,”  said the 7th semester student. 

In January 2024, Lala actively explored various opportunities she believed could enrich her perspective in the field of education. As a result, she decided to try her luck by applying for the Program Pertukaran Mahasiswa Merdeka (PMM), organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek).

"Alhamdulillah, I was successfully selected! During PMM, I had the privilege of studying at Universitas Pendidikan Muhammadiyah Sorong (UNIMUDA) in Southwest Papua for four months. Lala saw this as a golden opportunity to gain deeper insights into the realities of education in eastern Indonesia."

A snapshot of PMM participants at UNIMUDA, Southwest Papua (2/8/2024). 

Papua gave Lala a vivid picture of the importance of equitable education. Her peers in Sorong, Lala noted, had to travel 1–2 hours to reach campus. Nevertheless, they remained undeterred in their pursuit of higher education. “Their spirit is truly extraordinary, even though the educational facilities are quite limited,” recalled Lala, who recently secured third place in the 2024 International Green Entrepreneurship competition with her team.

Lala also observed how the lecturers there worked tirelessly to advance education in the 3T regions (underdeveloped, frontier, outermost areas). She remarked, “They genuinely care about their students. Even the smallest achievements are always appreciated. That really inspired me.”

Beyond education, her experience in Sorong introduced Lala to Papua’s culture through the Nusantara Module. She learned traditional dances, cooked local delicacies, and engaged with the indigenous community.

Now in her final year as a student, Lala has chosen the path of international journal publication to complete her thesis. She expressed her hope: “FKIP strongly encourages its students to participate in international seminar proceedings. This has been a very positive motivation for me. Insya Allah, on December 7, 2024, I’ll present my research findings. May Allah SWT ease everything for me.”

When asked about her dreams, Lala highlighted two key aspirations: becoming an impactful educator or exploring the field of education policy. Her deep passion for education shines through, fueling her determination to make a meaningful contribution.

“I believe that education is the best way to build a better future. I still want to move forward, explore opportunities that create impact, bring about change, and spread benefits to more people,” she concluded with confidence.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva