Activities Start in Phase 3 Districts

Activities have started in 11 phase 3 MBE target districts with an Orientation Workshop in Batu from 11 – 13 May. The participants included representatives of Bappeda, the Education Office, Department of Religious Affairs, Education Council (Dewan Pendidikan), and members of the local parliament in each of the districts.

They listened to reports from representatives of the other areas who have been implementing the program for a long time about MBE activities including mapping and planning, education funding, school based management (SBM), community participation and active, creative, joyful and effective learning (PAKEM). On the second day they visited MBE target schools in Batu and Blitar that have been successfully implementing the MBE program.

Participants from Pasuruan in the photo above, with Mr. Stuart Weston, the Director of the MBE Program, and Bpk Asari, the MBE Coordinator for East Java. Photos of the other districts are on the back page.

A New Program from USAID

One of USAID Indonesia’s priorities for the next five years is the development of basic education. In order to realize this USAID has allocated a budget of more than of US$100 million to support their new program called ‘Decentralized Basic Education’ or DBE. DBE consists of three components:
DBE 1: Management and Governance,
DBE 2: Teaching and Learning and
DBE 3: Life Skills. The DBE 1 and 2 activities will use similar approaches to MBE. The new program will work in 7 provinces, Aceh, North Sumatra, West Java, Banten, Central Java, East Java, and South Sulawesi. It is likely that our colleagues from the DBE target areas will want to make visits to MBE target areas. Right: Dan Moulton, Director of the DBE 1 Program.

Creativity at Wonorejo

During visits to MBE target schools as part of the phase 3 district Orientation Workshop in Batu we visited one target school that was not on the schedule. The school was SDN1 Wonorejo, Talun, Blitar (below). Even though the school was given no prior warning, the students were actively engaged in PAKEM learning.

The teachers were encouraging their students to be creative in mathematics. In grade 2 the students were making up their own division questions.

Febry, in the photograph (top right - 1) with her teacher Ibu Surtini, made up 33 questions.

By comparison, the teacher normally only gives the children about 10 questions to answer - proof that this method is three times more efficient!. In grade 1, Nafil, photographed with her teacher Ibu Sringatum, (photo - 2) made up subtraction questions all with the answer 34.

The teacher of Grade 3, Ibu Suharti photographed below right with her principal, Ibu Sukaprim, has shown creativity by making a garden in her classroom and making beautiful displays of students’ work.

SDN 1 Wonorejo does not yet have a room for a library, but their books are placed outside the classrooms for the students to read. In the picture below you can see the students sitting reading library books during the Kartini Day celebrations.