International Education Projects: Indonesia
Improved Quality of Decentralized Basic Education Program: More Effective Decentralized Education Management and Governance (DBE1) (2005-2010)
Client/Agency
United States Agency for International Development
Background
The education system in Indonesia faces several challenges -- low public funding, inadequate capacity among local governments to manage the recently decentralized education system, poor completion rates among students, and inadequate training of teachers. The $157 million Indonesia Education Initiative, announced by President Bush, aims to correct some of these problems. The Initiative is the cornerstone of the U.S. government assistance program in Indonesia for 2004-2009.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to provide technical services and related resources necessary to improve the effectiveness of decentralized management and governance of primary and junior secondary schools in Indonesia.
Activities and Results
The Government of Indonesia has just announced a new policy of free basic education, which will result in schools and districts receiving much greater funding than in the past. As a result, the need for improving educational planning and budgeting systems is crucial.
RTI will provide support to local governments in six provinces as they assume new responsibilities within Indonesia’s decentralized education system. RTI’s team of Indonesian and expatriate advisors will help local governments improve their management systems, develop and implement more efficient and equitable systems of education finance, enhance community participation in education governance, and strengthen private sector support to education. An emerging focus is to provide assistance to the city of Banda Aceh as it seeks to rebuild its education infrastructure, personnel, and support systems following the devastating tsunami of December 2004.
This project and the Improved Quality of Teaching and Learning project build on the experience of the Managing Basic Education project, which introduced new approaches to school management and assisted in the implementation of Indonesia’s new active learning curriculum.
More Information
- DBE1 (Web site)
- Education Quality Improvements in Indonesia: Learning to Better Manage Education Services (brochure)
Improved Quality of Teaching and Learning (2005-2010)
Client/Agency
United States Agency for International Development
Background
The education system in Indonesia faces several challenges -- low public funding, inadequate capacity among local governments to manage the recently decentralized education system, poor completion rates among students, and inadequate training of teachers. The $157 million Indonesia Education Initiative, announced by President Bush in 2003, aims to correct some of these problems. The Initiative is the cornerstone of the U.S. government assistance program in Indonesia for 2004-2009.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom to improve student performance in public and private schools.
Activities and Results
RTI is helping implement this project as a subcontractor to the Education Development Center, Inc. The project has several components, including improving teacher training, improving the learning environment, providing technical support on instructional leadership, and assessing school performance for school administrators at the district, sub-district, and school cluster levels. RTI will be responsible for all activities in East Java and for working with the Examinations Center/Testing Unit on the development of assessment instruments appropriate for measuring competencies in the new curriculum and of related diagnostic tools for use in the classrooms.
This project and the More Effective Decentralized Education Management and Governance project build on the experience of the Managing Basic Education project, which introduced new approaches to school management and assisted in the implementation of Indonesia’s new active learning curriculum.
Building Local Government Capacity to Manage Basic Education (MBE) Activity (2003-2007)
Client/Agency
United States Agency for International Development
Background
Indonesia has made significant strides in its transition from an autocratic, centralized state to a democratic, decentralized one. Currently, Indonesia continues to strengthen the devolution of responsibilities to district level governments.
RTI has been helping improve decentralization policies and building capacity of local governments and communities to effectively implement these new policies since 1987 and has maintained a full-time presence since 1997 when it opened a permanent office in Jakarta.
This effort is intended to empower and increase the capacities of local government and schools at the district level, thus enabling better management of basic education.
Purpose
This project was designed to help selected local governments improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their basic educational services and to strengthen the position and role of local stakeholders -- parents, teachers, community organizations, and local parliaments -- in the planning, management, and delivery of basic education.
Activities and Results
RTI provided training to implement an active approach to teaching and learning, increase community participation, and improve school management.
The program built on many existing best practices and encouraged the development and dissemination of these practices and the development of other innovations at the local level. The best practices covered the areas of
- Facilities and personnel management
- School funding
- School-based management and community participation
- Teaching and learning
More Information
- Managing Basic Education (Web site)