Dewi Sartika

Dewi Sartika (4 December 1884 – 11 September 1947) was the leading figure and pioneer for the education for women in Indonesia. She founded the first school for women in Dutch East Indies. She was formally acknowledged as a National Hero by the Indonesian government in 1966.

Biography

Dewi Sartika was born into a Sundanese state, R. Rangga Somanegara and R. A. Rajapermas in Cicalengka, on 4 December 1884. As a child, after school she often pretended to be a teacher while playing with her friends. After her father died, she lived with her uncle. She received an education of Sundanese culture while under his care, while her knowledge of Western culture was passed on to her from the wife of a resident assistant. In 1899, she moved to Bandung.

On 16 January 1904, she founded a school named Sekolah Isteri at Bandung Regency's Pendopo which later was relocated to Jalan Ciguriang and the school name changed to Sekolah Kaoetamaan Isteri (Wife Eminency School) in 1910. In 1912, there are nine Sekolah Kaoetamaan Isteri in cities or regencies in West Java (half of the cities and regencies), and in 1920 all of cities and regencies has one school. In September 1929, this school changed its name to Sekolah Raden Dewi.