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PEARLS & STORIES

One Teacher, One Island, A Generation of Opportunity.

The Story of Pak Husen and Kukusan School

5 Oct 2026

When Pak Husen first arrived on Kukusan Island more than 25 years ago, he wasn’t looking to become a teacher.

A young man from Pasir Panjang in East Manggarai, he had come to the small island searching for work. What he found instead was a community facing a very different challenge.

There were children on the island, but there were no teachers. There was no school.

The community needed someone willing to step forward and help provide an education for the next generation.

Pak Husen answered that call.

Today, he is the Head Teacher of MIS Al-Hidayah, the school he helped establish in 2001, and for more than two decades he has dedicated his life to ensuring that children on Kukusan Island have access to the opportunities that education can provide.

 

Education Against the Odds 

What began as a single act of service has grown into a school that now educates 48 students from Year 1 to Year 6.

However, keeping education alive on a remote island presents challenges that many schools never have to face.

The school currently operates with just four teachers, all of whom are honorary teachers. None have had the financial means to complete a university degree, despite the qualifications required for teachers across Indonesia.

“Our teachers want to continue their education,” says Pak Husen. “They want to go to university, but the reality is that they simply cannot afford it.”

With limited funding available, the school does its best to support its teaching staff, paying salaries according to what the school can afford rather than what teachers truly deserve.

Yet despite these obstacles, the teachers remain committed to their students.

“They continue teaching with enthusiasm,” Pak Husen explains. “They share the knowledge they have and do everything they can for the children.”

Why Education Matters

For Pak Husen, the importance of education in Kukusan goes beyond the classroom.

The school provides the foundation for literacy, opportunity and hope in a community that would otherwise struggle to access educational services.

“If there were no education here, the children would grow up unable to read or write,” he says.

The impact would extend far beyond individual students.

Without a school, many families would have little opportunity to help their children build a better future. In an increasingly connected and technology-driven world, the absence of education could leave an entire community at risk of being left behind.

“Future generations would have no direction,” Pak Husen explains. “Without education, they would face significant difficulties throughout their lives.”

For parents living on Kukusan Island, the school represents more than a place of learning. It is an investment in the future of their children, their families and their community.

Building a School Through Community

Running a school with limited resources requires resilience, creativity and support from others.

To keep the school operating, Pak Husen regularly reaches out to friends, relatives, community members and organisations who may be able to help.

“We talk about how important education is,” he says. “We look for ideas, support and opportunities to collaborate.”

These partnerships have become an essential part of the school’s journey.

Whether through donations, advocacy or practical assistance, support from outside the island helps fill critical gaps that local resources alone cannot address.

Yet despite the challenges, Pak Husen remains remarkably optimistic.

His focus is not on what the school lacks, but on what it can
become.

A Vision for the Future

When asked about his hopes for the next decade, Pak Husen speaks first about the people around him.

He wants the school to continue growing.

He wants his students to have every opportunity to learn and succeed.

And he wants his fellow teachers to be able to continue their own educational journeys.

“My hope is that our teachers can go on to university,” he says. “I hope they can continue developing their knowledge and improve their lives.”

Today, financial barriers make that dream difficult to achieve. The cost of attending university away from the island remains beyond the reach of many teachers.

But Pak Husen believes that with support, progress is possible.

“Perhaps in the future there will be kind people who can help our school,” he says. “Or help the teachers who work here.”

Celebrating the Teachers Who Change Lives

Pak Husen’s story is a reminder that education is often built on the dedication of individuals who quietly commit themselves to their communities.

For more than 25 years, he has shown up each day to teach, lead and inspire. Alongside his fellow teachers, he has worked to create opportunities for children who may otherwise have gone without access to education.

His story reflects the impact that educators have far beyond the
classroom.

They do not simply teach children how to read and write.

They help build futures.

On islands like Kukusan, they help build entire communities.

And in doing so, they remind us why teachers matter so much.

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