A lively atmosphere filled with creativity enveloped the hall of the Razka Hotel in Pasir Pangaraian on Friday, October 3, 2025. Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers from various sub-districts in Rokan Hulu Regency gathered to showcase their best work at the Educational Play Equipment (APE) Making Competition. Among the many competitors, Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten, mentored by PT Sawit Asahan Indah (SAI), achieved a remarkable feat by winning first place at the district level.
This prestigious event, organized by the Rokan Hulu District Education Office, aims to foster the spirit and creativity of early childhood educators in developing educational play equipment that is safe, engaging, and meaningful for young children’s development. Educational play equipment (APE) is a crucial tool for helping children learn through enjoyable play experiences, while also stimulating cognitive, motor, language, social, and character development comprehensively.
Representing Rambah Samo District were two teachers from Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten, Bunda Lastri and Bunda Rosnita, who captivated the jury with their innovative ideas for creating educational play equipment from simple materials that offered rich educational value. This APE is called ‘BOX CODIEK,’ where ‘Box’ signifies ‘box’ in English, and ‘Codiek’ means ‘smart’ in the Rokan Hulu Malay language.
The Box Codiek contains 14 children’s games designed to enhance literacy, numeracy, character-building, and six aspects of early childhood development. The games incorporate deep learning and utilize simple technology to introduce traditional games and the Rokan Hulu Malay language at an early age. In addition to being an educational toy for children, Box Codiek can also serve as a Teaching Aid (APP) for educators.
Helna Sari, the head of Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten, expressed her pride in this achievement. “Through this competition, early childhood educators can cultivate creativity, generating new ideas for creating meaningful and enjoyable educational play equipment for young children. I am also very grateful to the management of PT SAI for their support and trust in us,” said Helna.
She further emphasized that support from the palm oil plantation company, through sustainable facilities and mentoring, was a significant encouragement for the teachers to continue innovating. “We also extend our gratitude to the Rokan Hulu District Office for allowing us to participate and proudly represent our school,” she added.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Early Childhood Education representatives of Rokan Hulu Regency, who attended the event. “Congratulations to Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten for their victory. We hope this achievement inspires other early childhood educators throughout the regency to continue creating games that young children will enjoy,” they said enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Rokan Hulu District Education Office underscored the importance of innovation in early childhood learning. “Early childhood educators not only teach in the classroom but must also create engaging learning media. Teacher creativity in making educational toys is crucial for making the learning process enjoyable and effective for children,” he stated.
The success of Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten serves as concrete evidence that collaboration between educational institutions and the business world can create positive synergies. Since its establishment, the school, under the guidance of PT Sawit Asahan Indah, has consistently committed to enhancing the quality of basic education in the plantation environment, particularly for the children of employees and the surrounding community.
In addition to serving as a learning platform, Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten actively participates in various early childhood education developmental activities at both the sub-district and district levels. PT SAI’s support through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in education plays a crucial role in facilitating training, providing learning resources, and developing teacher capacity.
Mira Diana, S.Pd.AUD., head of the Indonesian Kindergarten Teachers Association (IGTKI) in Rambah Samo sub-district, expressed her hope that this achievement would inspire other schools. “I hope TK Tunas Sawit Indah PT SAI continues to progress and can share its knowledge with other educators in Rambah Samo sub-district,” she said.
Helna Sari also hopes that similar competitions will continue to be held in the coming years. “We want more teachers to participate and feel motivated to innovate, ensuring that children’s learning processes become more meaningful and enjoyable,” she concluded.
The achievements of Tunas Sawit Indah Kindergarten are not merely about winning competitions; they symbolize success in building a creative, competitive, and child-development-focused educational environment. The support from PT Sawit Asahan Indah illustrates the strategic role of the business sector in education.
Source: Sawitplus.co
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