The participants from the non MBE dissemination schools in the two subdistricts were very enthusiastic during the sessions, where they were trained by MBE consultants, Bpk Masjudi, Bpk Andreas and Bpk Umar, and the twelve MBE district facilitators from Purbalingga.

And there was a great family feeling to the training, with teachers from public and private schools and madrasahs all working together. They were as one in their resolve to advance education in their schools.

PURBALINGGA: MBE Schools Receive Help from District Budget

As a sign of its commitment to the MBE partners schools, the Purbalingga District Government, through the District Education Office gave assistance amounting to Rp.40 million to the 20 partner schools on 16 September 2006. It is hoped that this can be used to buy boards to display student work and school plans and to provide simple teaching aids.

The funds were handed over by a member of staff of the Basic Education Section, Bpk Kasir directly to the principals of the MBE schools in the meeting hall of the Purbalingga Education Office.

Each MBE school received Rp. 2 million. The receipt of the money was welcomed by the MBE school principals and will be used, as intended, to buy display boards for student work and to support school management, as well as simple teaching aids.

SITUBONDO: Science Class at SDN 2 Wringin Anom

The school principal, teachers and committee of SDN 2 Wringin Anom, one of the MBE partner schools in Panarukan Subdistrict in Situbondo have introduced an innovative program called 'science class'. The idea of this science class emerged at a school meeting.

The principal and teachers wanted to raise the quality of teaching in the school. There is a laboratory, which was built at the school after it had been flooded, and there is science equipment provided to SEQIP (The Science Education Quality Improvement Project) partner schools. Out of this the idea of a science class was born.

The science class is especially for teaching science to students from grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 using the laboratory, which has now been organized as a classroom. They do this by moving class. When they have science lessons classes, the students move to a science room. By moving class like this it is hoped that the students will be more motivated to learn.

That is indeed the case, the students enjoy it and are motivated to learn science. Without being told to, when there is a science lesson, are students go on their own to the science room. The children's work is more varied and creative. One of the school's students won the Subdistrict Science Olympiad and will represent Situbondo at the East Java provincial Science Olympiad.

The school committee was very supportive in implementing the science class at SDN 2 Wringin Anom. Parents provided the furniture, which consists of eight tables made of teak, 35 plastic chairs and a whiteboard on wheels.

Let's Listen to Education Radio Radio Pendidikan (Education Radio) at SDN Baron 1, Magetan is one of the ways in which the school committee has supported the school. For the moment the radio only reaches schools within Magetan Subdistrict, but it is hoped that it will soon reach the whole of Magetan district. The radio station was provided by the parents. Its aims are (1) to help children to learn to become radio presenters and broadcasters; (2) to provide general information on education and learning, especially education about the school's activities which are of concern to the students and the parents; (3) to provide an example of community participation in Magetan district; and (4) to entertain the students and encourage them to learn. Radio Pendidikan was formally opened by Bpk Drs. Soetikno, MM, the Head of the Magetan District Education Office. The ceremony took place at the same time as the grade 6 graduation ceremony on 29 June 2006 in the school grounds of SD Baron 1 and 2.