The Spirit of Literacy Today on Kartini Day

Commemorating Kartini Day should not be only about celebration. We ought to put into practice the values of struggle and the example set by one of the most phenomenal heroines, Raden Ajeng Kartini Djojo Adhiningrat, commonly known as R.A Kartini. She is famous for her struggle for women's emancipation, with her truly astonishing ideas.

Looking at her life story, Kartini was unable to receive a higher education. At the age of 12 she was forced to end her schooling. She had to undergo pingitan –the tradition of confining a future bride at home– until her wedding. Such was the harshness of the customs of that time, which required women to serve as wives and housewives at a young age and forced them to drop out of school.

Even so, Kartini did not let her mind be confined. Equipped with her command of Dutch and her habit of writing, she began corresponding by letter with her friends from the Netherlands. She also did not give up her habit of literacy. She read books, newspapers, and magazines sent by those friends. Equally interesting, some of Kartini's writings were even published in a women's magazine of the time.

Behind her very intelligent personality and sharp thinking was, of course, her habit of literacy. She was even described as a great writer of that era. It was through her writings that she poured out and voiced her ideas about her ‘restlessness and discontent’ with the discrimination experienced by native women at the time. In her view, native women also needed to obtain the same freedom, equality, and legal parity, to be free to pursue education, and to be released from the customs that restrained women.

Her skill in writing, which she used to the fullest, bore sweet fruit. She spiritedly kept calling for a climate of emancipation and equality between women and men. Through her writing, she was able to tear apart the patriarchal culture that had shackled women for so long.

Writing is, of course, inseparable from the habit of literacy. A reading habit will increase our insight and knowledge, so that we can produce quality writing. From the story of R.A Kartini, we can see how powerful an effect writing can have. It is perhaps not too much of an exaggeration to compare it with the statement “One bullet can only pierce one head, but one piece of writing can pierce thousands or even millions of heads” – Sayyid Quthb

Literacy today is not only equipped with the knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. To improve the competitiveness of education today – so as not to fall behind the times – our literacy skills must also be improved. Today's literacy encompasses technological, data, and human literacy.

Technological Literacy

This is the ability to use and understand how digital technology, machines and other technological applications work, in order to create useful information in social and educational fields. People will gain various benefits and advantages in every aspect of their lives through the use of information technology in this era. Life today requires us to be technologically literate and to take advantage of all the conveniences technology provides. By understanding technology, we can also create advanced technology with high utility.

Data Literacy

This is the ability to read, analyse and use data and information (big data) in the digital world. This data and information is very useful to its users. Big data is used to collect data about people, and to build artificial intelligence for use by companies. In an age like this we need to grasp the importance of personal data. If we cannot examine, analyse, and make use of the existing data and information, our personal data could be used by irresponsible parties. If we are able to process data well, big data can provide value as an opportunity for progress in various sectors in Indonesia.

Human Literacy

This is the ability people need in order to play a good role in their environment. It can be carried out through communication and the Humanities. The Humanities cover how a person behaves in society, including manners, ethics, conduct and courtesy. In addition, knowledge of ethics in communicating, both between individuals and between groups, is needed. Literacy makes it easy for a person to communicate in society. That is, good knowledge and literacy skills are the key to a person's future in conducting their social life.

Today's literacy can equip us to face an era of very rapid technological sophistication. Conditions like this should spur our enthusiasm to be more creative and productive in literacy. This spirit of literacy is also what we can realise to commemorate the figure of R.A Kartini. It is only fitting that Kartini Day become a moment to revive a culture of literacy. (Sulteng Raya)