Jakarta. Tutoring centers, locally known as bimbel, are often overlooked, but they have made a huge contribution in Indonesia's remote areas. The tutoring services have also become a popular choice for those who wish to join military and police academies, as well as civil service.

Junianto Sesa founded the Pioneer Class, a tutoring center in Makassar, South Sulawesi, seven years ago. Since then, the facility has mentored over 2,500 students in the eastern part of Indonesia.

"There's a mindset that entering such academies requires a lot of money. I want to prove to you by studying hard that this assumption isn't always true," Junianto was quoted as saying in a press statement. 

"I want to help students in Papua so they can pursue their dreams and have what we experience in more developed regions," Junianto said.

Government data showed Indonesia had 11,521 registered tutoring centers across Indonesia, but only 75 of them are on the island of Papua.

From Nabire to Makassar

Junianto's commitment to education, especially in eastern Indonesia, is inseparable from his life's journey. He grew up in the remote area of Nabire, Central Papua, following his father's assignment. He faced various limitations, ranging from transportation access to educational infrastructure.

"Getting there was still quite difficult. There were only one or two plane flights a week. Even land routes were sometimes cut off by landslides. Electricity was only available from 6 to 9 p.m. The quality of the schools and teachers was also inadequate," Junianto said.

There was also no high school close to his home. He had to attend a high school in the district center, even having to live apart from his parents.Here, he saw his friends achieving better grades.

"Because I went to elementary and junior high school in the remote area of ​​Papua, I always felt left behind," Junianto said.

However, that experience gave him motivation. He began studying hard, attending tutoring, and managed to improve his academic performance.

"I was always ranked in the bottom ten, but I managed to climb to second place," he recalled.

His parents, especially his father, were highly committed to providing their son education. He pushed Junianto to continue pursuing his studies after graduating from high school. He studied at a private university, but then got accepted to major mathematics at Hasanuddin University. Junianto, however, faced financial challenges, especialy after his house in Nabire caught fire. To lift his parents' burden, he decided to work at a tutoring center in Makassar. Not only did he teach others, but he realized that this was the most effective way for him to learn. After completing his undergraduate studies, Junianto returned to Papua. His passion for education led him to pursue a career as a teacher.

At that time, he taught 4-5 hours per week at two schools.

"I was paid Rp 10,000 at the public school and Rp 12,500 at the private school per hour," he said.

The Birth of Pioneer Class

However, he realized that his paycheck as an honorary teacher was not enough to pay his living expenses. But at the same time, he did not want to leave the world of teaching. And so, he set up a tutoring center in Manokwari, West Papua, in 2018. Business did not immediately take off. Despite the challenges, he continued to develop another center in Makassar, while pursuing a master's degree at Hasanudin University.

He initially taught the basics, but he had a turning point when the police academy began implementing a math test for its candidates. This prompted Junianto to prepare the tutoring material for the test. It turns out that one of his students was a top scorer at the South Sulawesi regional police. Some of his students also got accepted to prestigious universities. Thanks to these achievements, Pioneer Class began to gain widespread recognition by word of mouth.

Challenges in Papua

When he was a student, Junianto did not only rely on teaching to cover his tuition fees. He also looked for scholarships. His achievements led him to earn the Tanoto Foundation scholarship, which had enabled him to pursue a master's degree at Hasanuddin University. Since 2021, he has taught mathematics at Manokwari's Papua University.

"I hope one day I can be like the Tanoto Foundation, giving scholarships and helping youths who wish to go to college," Junianto said.

"To the kids in Papua, pluck up the courage to pursue higher education. The world is huge. Don't just stay in your comfort zone," he said.

Registration for Tanoto Foundation TELADAN Scholarship is Now Open

The registration for Tanoto Foundation's 2026 TELADAN scholarship is now open.

This program will be available across 10 state universities in Indonesia. Participants will get fully funded assistance and monthly allowances. What sets this scholarship apart from the others is that participants will get a leadership training program that lasts three and a half years, starting from the second to eighth semester.

Tanoto Scholars, namely the TELADAN scholarship recipients, will also learn how to develop their soft skills. They wil also receive financial assistance to take part in competitions, conferences, and certification. They can also join short-term learning programs at home and abroad, be it summer courses, student exchanges, and volunteering. Participants also gain internship opportunities at Tanoto Foundation's industry. They will also gain financial support for collaborative research.

There are also Tanoto Scholars Association communities on their respective campuses. Once they graduate, they will become part of the Tanoto Foundation alumni network that spans across Indonesia and the world.

This year's scholarship program is also open to students who are beneficiaries of the Indonesian Smart Card KIP-K, particularly the first-semester students at the 10 partner universities.

Click on this link bit.ly/JadiTELADAN2026 to find out more about this program.