Dewi Sartika

Dewi Sartika was born on December 4th 1884 in Bandung. She is a figure of education pioneer for women and accepted as the National Hero by government of Indonesia in 1966. Dewi Sartika was born from family sundanese priyayi, Nyi Raden Rajapermas and Raden Somagara. After her father died, Dewi Sartika was take cared by her uncle who was vice regent in Cicalengka. From her uncle, she got education about both Indonesian and Western Culture. Since a child, Dewi Sartika showed talent as an educator and the persistence to take it forward. She often exhibited practice in the school, taught reading and writing, and the Dutch language to the children's servant in Kepatihan.

When she was a teenager, Dewi Sartika went back to her mother in Bandung. As she became an adult, she became determined to create her dream. This situation was pushed again by her uncle Martanagara Regent, her uncle had the same wish with her. The customs for women at the time made her uncle experience difficultly and fear. But, because of the persistence of her spirit never lessened, finally Dewi Sartika convinced her uncle to build a school for women. On 1906 Dewi Sartika was married with Raden Kanduruan Agah Suriawinata, someone who had perspective and dreams the same as hers, a teacher in Karang Pamulang school who at the time formed a Teacher's Training School.

Dewi Sartika was a pioneer for women education. Since 1902 she taught her women students in a small room, behind her mother's house in Bandung. She taught her mother's family such things as cooking, sewing, reading, writing etc. In January 16th 1904, she opened the first women's school of Indonesia after consultation with regent R.A. Martanagara. There were 3 teachers, Dewi Sartika and her cousins, Miss Poerwa and Miss Oewid. They had 20 students, they used the pendopo Bandung Regency. One year later, they had more classes, next their school was moved to Cigaruang street, in Kebon Cau. She and Regent of Bandung bought this new location. The first student graduated in 1909. It proved to our country that women had ability no different from men. She used her property to develop her school to be a formal school.

On year later in the Pasundan area appeared a wife's school, which primary was managed by Sunda's Women who had dreams the same with Dewi Sartika. In 1912 there stood nine of the wife schools in Regency Cities (half of all Regency City). In 1914 the name of her school was changed to become the woman school. On September 1929, Dewi Sartika tried out a school for students who were 20 years old, and became the "Raden Dewi School."

Blessing her merit in this field, Dewi Sartika is given star merit by government of Indonesia.

Dewi Sartika died on September 11th 1947 in Tasikmalaya city and buried with one simple funeral ceremony in the cemetary of Cigagadon-Rahayu Village. Three years later it was moved to Karang Anyar street, Bandung.