Tawau, October 9, 2025 – The Nusantara Hall at the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia (KRI) Tawau was buzzing with activity. A total of 93 teachers from various Community Learning Centers (CLC) in Sabah gathered with the spirit of improving the quality of education for Indonesian migrant children in Malaysia. This teacher competency enhancement training was the result of a collaboration between KRI Tawau and Universitas Terbuka (UT) through the International Community Service (PkM) 2025 program. The event also involved support from FGV Holdings Berhad and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The Indonesian Consul in Tawau, in his speech, asserted that this training is not just a routine activity but part of a larger effort to strengthen national identity and enhance the quality of education for Indonesian children in Sabah. Currently, there are nearly 12,000 CLC students in the working area of KRI Tawau, and the number continues to grow with the establishment of new CLCs by palm oil plantation companies.
KRI Tawau has been actively running the Consulate Goes to CLC program since 2024. Activities include flag ceremonies, fostering the values of Pancasila, and distributing nationalistic books to CLC schools. This program serves as a tangible form of educational diplomacy that not only touches on the academic aspect but also builds character and a love for the homeland.
The Head of the UT Team, Anto Hidayat, M.Si, added that the training focused on three areas: national literacy, learning assessment, and development of learning media. UT also provided an educational grant in the form of laptops, projectors, musical instruments, and traditional clothing to support learning activities at the CLCs.
The training session opened with a presentation by Rika Aprianti, M.Pd., who discussed non-digital learning assessment innovation, offering practical alternatives for teachers in areas with technological limitations. This was followed by Refisa Ananda, M.Pd., who showcased the teachers’ work on local culture-based learning media, fostering a contextual spirit in teaching.
The most exciting part was the “National Literacy Showcase” session led by Erna Risnawati, M.Si., where CLC teachers and students displayed posters, videos, and literacy projects themed on Indonesia. Not to be missed was the coloring competition titled “Diversity of Indonesian Culture,” enthusiastically participated in by 17 CLC students.
The event concluded with training from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, presented by Dr. Mad Noor Bin Madjapuni, who delivered the topic, “Utilization of AI in Classroom Learning.” This session broadened the teachers’ perspectives on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in supporting more modern and adaptive teaching methods.
This teacher competency enhancement training is a concrete form of support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education), which emphasizes the importance of inclusive educational access for all, including migrant children. Furthermore, the synergy and collaboration between KRI Tawau, Universitas Terbuka, private companies, and higher education institutions in Malaysia also align with the sustainable goal of forming partnerships to achieve the goals (SDG 17).
Through this collaboration, KRI Tawau and Universitas Terbuka are not only enhancing teacher competencies but also instilling a sense of nationalism and paving the way for a more inclusive and competitive future for Indonesian education.
