Unisa Yogyakarta Builds ABA Semesta Kindergarten, a New Milestone and Leap Forward in Education

‘Aisyiyah University (Unisa) Yogyakarta held a ground breaking of Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Kindergarten (ABA Kindergarten) which was branded TK ABA Semesta, in Ambarketawang, Gamping, Sleman, Tuesday (3/6/2025). TK ABA Semesta is a new milestone and leap in the world of education.

“Today Aisyiyah starts a new milestone, building ABA Semesta Kindergarten, why is it called a new milestone? because we already have more than 20,000 kindergartens and are Indonesia’s pioneer kindergarten,” said Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah, Prof. Haedar Nashir.

Prof. Haedar said that although there are already tens of thousands of ABA kindergartens, there must be other educational institutions that become centers of excellence. This is because we are currently faced with changes in how people need education at the general level, there is high class education, those who need the best education.

Then, the level of competition of various institutions, not only education, but also health, social, economic is now getting higher. “So this ABA Kindergarten is a leap, not only a milestone, but also a leap to build the progress of kindergartens which will eventually have an impact on ABA Kindergartens throughout the country, because ‘Aisyiyah is a movement system,” said Prof. Haedar.

Prof. Haedar also mentioned that education must be considered from an early age. If we want to knit the Golden Indonesia 2045, wanting superior Indonesian humans, both in character and other abilities, then we must pay attention to education from the beginning, from the upstream. “Even though PAUD is not a systemized school, it is formal, but it is still a place for early education. Early education will determine the future of Indonesia,” said Prof. Haedar.

Prof. Haedar also appreciated Unisa Yogyakarta’s step as an ‘Aisyiyah charity that has been accredited as excellent and showed its commitment to education by building ABA Semesta Kindergarten. “’Aisyiyah University does have a mission to bring progress. One of the efforts to improve education comprehensively is by starting this ABA kindergarten,” she said.

New Hope for Early Childhood Education

Chairperson of PP ‘Aisyiyah, Salmah Orbayinah hopes that ABA Semesta Kindergarten will have a global perspective. TK ABA Semesta complements 20,000 ABA kindergartens that have made various achievements and awards.

“It should present many things, not only academics, but diversity, providing a global perspective. Not only local students, we hope that TK ABA will bring students from various cultures, traditions from all over Indonesia, even abroad,” said Salmah.

The ABA kindergarten is expected to be a provision for further education and can adapt to global changes. “We hope that the curriculum is global-minded, comprehensive and emphasizes the skills needed in the future. By not leaving morals, ethics, and a sense of good culture, and morally good,” he said.

Chairperson of Unisa Yogyakarta’s Board of Trustees, Siti Noordjannah, said that her party realized the extraordinary challenge of providing quality education. Aisyiyah itself has been a pioneer in establishing early childhood education in 1919 under the name Froebel Kindergarten and then in August 1924 changed to ABA Kindergarten.

“Until now, ‘Aisyiyah has tens of thousands of early childhood education centers and the like in all corners of Indonesia. Including in Yogyakarta, currently there are thousands of ‘Aisyiyah PAUD. The existence of the ABA Kindergarten must certainly be increasingly cared for and developed by ‘Aisyiyah,” Noordjannah explained.

Noordjannah said that the presence of kindergartens and early childhood education centers is currently increasingly needed and has become a big agenda of the national government. “The need is not only for quantity but of course quality education,” said Noordjannah.

Sleman Regent, Harda Kiswaya also appreciated Unisa Yogyakarta’s steps to build this ABA Semesta Kindergarten. “This strengthens the foundation of civilization through education. As a forum for development, ‘Aisyiyah has advanced the ummah, its contribution is great, incalculable,” said Harda.

“Unisa Yogyakarta is a campus under the direct organizers of PP ‘Aisyiyah, therefore Unisa Yogyakarta is committed to presenting ABA Semesta Kindergarten as a form of respect for the glory of ‘Aisyiyah, as well as encouragement to continue to compete in goodness with educational activists at the national level,” concluded Warsiti.