NABIRE – Behind the training of 90 English teachers run by Yayasan Mutiara Hitam Papua (YMH Papua) in Central Papua are ten tutors with remarkable stories. Most are native Papuans who studied as far away as the United States, Australia and Russia. Now they have come home to teach the teachers of their own land.

The training is a program of the Central Papua Provincial Government through its Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud). The program runs for 66 days and involves 150 English teachers from five regencies. YMH Papua is training 90 teachers in Paniai, Mimika and part of Nabire, while Yayasan Syena Ahor Papua (SAPA) is training 60 teachers in Nabire, Dogiyai and Deiyai.

Acting Head of Disdikbud Central Papua, Nurhaidah, S.E., hopes the training will bring direct benefits to the teachers and their students. She also stressed accountability from both foundations, from field training through to reporting.

According to Yulianus Kuayo, Head of the Data and Education Services Division, the old approach sent only a handful of selected children to take courses outside Papua. The government now chooses to train teachers, so that English skills reach far more children in the classroom.

Three of the tutors come from Paniai, one of the regencies covered by the training. Pius Tenouye, S.Par., Gr. studied tourism at Udayana University, Bali, then studied English for two years at Colorado State University in the United States through the Papua Special Autonomy Program. Since 2021 he has been a government contract (PPPK) teacher at SMK Negeri 1 Pariwisata Paniai, and since 2025 he has taught with YMH Papua.

Jekson Gobai, S.S., Gr., an English Literature graduate of Universitas Papua, completed his Teacher Professional Education at Universitas Musamus, Merauke, in 2025. He now teaches at SMP YPPGY Enarotali and often uses songs and music to bring lessons to life. Selpianus Dogopia, also from Paniai, won third place in an English speech competition at the Universitas Cenderawasih anniversary. Since 2023 he has taught at SMKS YPPGI Industri dan Kreatif Nabire.

Several tutors bring experience from universities abroad. Harnal Baliem Tabuni graduated from Cleveland State University in the United States through the Papua Outstanding Student Scholarship and made the Dean's List for four semesters. He previously taught at YMH Papua in Timika and now teaches at Black Pearl English Course in East Biak.

Jhon Cartenz P. Kreku, a Geology graduate of the University of Rhode Island in the United States, served with Gerakan Indonesia Mengajar in Weriagar, Teluk Bintuni. There he helped 20 junior high students raise their English scores by up to 50 percent. He has also taught 27 students with Black Pearl Papua in Mimika.

Samuel Aleksander Mandowen won an Australia Awards Scholarship for a Master of IT at QUT, Australia, and is now a doctoral candidate in Russia. Novita Sabatin Monim, an English Education graduate of Universitas Cenderawasih, studied at Moscow State Linguistic University in Russia and has more than five years of experience teaching in various schools.

From Nabire, Juliana Tando has been teaching since 2009. She received the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching in the United States, followed by an Australia Awards Scholarship for a Master of Education at Macquarie University, Australia.

Two other tutors have experience teaching children and in hard-to-reach areas. Meiske Violita Monim, S.Sos has taught with YMH Papua as far as Paniai Regency and served as a homeroom teacher at SD Advent Sentani Timur. Marieta Skolastika Kudmas has taught children at Black Pearl English Course since 2021, backed by a TESOL for Young Learners course in Perth, Australia, and an intensive program at IALF Bali.

The teacher training is part of the Central Papua government's tiered program, which starts in grades 4–6 of elementary school and continues through junior high, senior high and vocational high school. The program reached 4,400 students in 2025 and 2,294 students in 2026. English proficiency is also one of the entry requirements for SMA Mepago.

The program is in line with the Papua Tengah Emas (Golden Central Papua) vision championed by Governor Meki Fritz Nawipa and Deputy Governor Deinas Geley. Disdikbud plans to extend it to the three regencies not yet covered, after first mapping teacher needs there.

For the tutors, this training is a chance to open the same door they once walked through themselves. As Pius Tenouye’s profile puts it: From Paniai, speaking to the world.