He advocated for native Indonesian education in Dutch colonial times from North Sumatra.

He founded Teacher Education School (Dutch:Kweekschool Voor inlandsche onderwijzer) in 1862 in Tano Bato, Mandailing Natal Regency.

[1][2][3] Willem Iskander (baptismal name in Arnhem, 1858) was born in Pidoli Lombang, the son of Raja Tinating.

[1] He worked in Mandailing-Angkola Asisten resident office as Administrator of the government (Dutch: Adjunt Inlandsche schrifer).

In 1861, he returned to Indonesia and founded Kweekschool Voor Inlandche Onderwijzr in Tano Bato, Mandailing Natal Regency in 1862.