Priyono Eko Sanyoto: A Quiet Departure, Leaving a Grand Vision from Batam
BATAM – He departed without noise, just as he had built everything—quietly, yet with lasting impact. From his steady hands, a small campus in a corner of Batam grew into a respected vocational institution, producing thousands of job-ready graduates. Priyono Eko Sanyoto left behind more than memories—he left direction.
On the roadside near the Hang Nadim Airport roundabout in Nongsa, on Saturday morning (April 11), a man was found lying unconscious. Nearby, a bicycle was seen resting. The sportswear he wore reflected a routine he often embraced: cycling.
The man was Dr. Ir. Priyono Eko Sanyoto, former Director of Politeknik Negeri Batam, affectionately known as Pak Eko—a figure more recognized for his work than for his words.
He was rushed to Bhayangkara Hospital of the Riau Islands Regional Police. However, fate had other plans. Pak Eko had passed away.
At the hospital, a quiet atmosphere prevailed. Members of the Politeknik Negeri Batam community—lecturers, administrative staff, and employees—arrived one after another. They came not only to bid farewell to a former director, but to a teacher, a father figure, and a pioneer.
His body was briefly prayed over at the campus he had built with full dedication. Afterwards, he was flown to Bandung, West Java, for burial.
For more than two decades, from 2001 to 2020, Pak Eko led Politeknik Negeri Batam. Yet long before that, he had already begun something that many at the time did not fully believe in.
In the early 2000s, Batam was growing as an industrial city. Factories were being established, and investments were flowing. Yet one aspect remained lacking: skilled local human resources.
Vocational education was not yet a primary choice. Many underestimated its value. It was within this gap that Pak Eko saw the future.
Born in Tanjungpandan, Belitung, on June 30, 1957, he studied at De Britto High School in Yogyakarta. He later continued his studies in Mechanical Engineering at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), class of 1977. At the same institution, he began his career as a lecturer before pursuing postgraduate studies in France in 1986.
Source: Jawa Pos
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