MBE Project 2005 Making Progress in Malang

Malang District Government working with the MBE project have implemented several activities, including training for schools and communities in SBM (School Based Management), community participation and PAKEM / Contextual Learning. The SBM and community participation training was held from 22 - 27 August 2005, and the PAKEM training from 19 - 24 September 2005.

The introduction of the MBE program was welcomed with great enthusiasm by all the stakeholders. Photo no. 1 shows the Malang District Head, Bpk Sujud Pribadi joining in with the participants in the training to encourage them and welcome the arrival of the MBE program.

The training processes had a special meaning for the participants, the following are some of their comments: "My experience attending the type of training that the MBE Program provided was like no other experience before it," said one of the participants, a primary school teacher.

"It's not like the kind of the training I have participated in before. The MBE style of training didn't make me tired. Rather it was a very enjoyable experience because there were many refreshing game type activities built into the program, which were relevant to the topics we were learning about", said one of the School Committee participants.

An MTs teacher said, "Until now, the kind of training style I have received often makes the participants feel bored, tired and sleepy because the participants spent too much of their time just listening to the trainers talking, with the result that the training has been ineffective and inefficient".

A similar comment from one of the SD teachers, "After the MBE training, I wanted to rush home and try to implement the ideas which I had heard about during the training with my students. I can imagine how much my students will enjoy it if I use an approach similar to what I have experienced here".

The variety of backgrounds and professions of the participants gave a distinctive color to the group dynamics during discussion of the issues. In photo 2 an army officer, one of the participants from a School Committee, can be seen expressing his opinion about the importance of community participation. Meanwhile in photo 3 you can see two female teachers presenting their group's work, while in photo 4 school supervisors, principals and teachers are engaged in a serious but enjoyable discussion.

PAKEM 3 Training in Madiun

In the first year of the MBE program in Madiun, PAKEM training has been conducted three times. PAKEM 1 dealt with the introduction of PAKEM learning methods. PAKEM 2 training focused on how to develop good lesson plans and varied kinds of classroom activities. PAKEM 3 is mainly about analyzing and managing the curriculum. After the PAKEM 3 training many participants expressed their enjoyment and enthusiasm.

The timing of the training was excellent, as it was the beginning of the school year, so the participants felt they had gained maximum benefit from the training. The participants really understood the importance of using PAKEM methods because the 2004 curriculum strongly supports the PAKEM principles.

Picture A: You can see the early years participants showing the big books they made. Within a very short time they were able to produce these big books, and this gave the teachers confidence that they could indeed make their own teaching aids to support their lessons.

New School Year, New Parents Groups in Madiun

Since the Central Government has now provided operational funding (BOS) to schools, the role of the community in schools needs be re-thought. With the formation of class parents groups the role of the community needs to be reconsidered and go beyond simply providing funding, because BOS funds are more or less sufficient to meet the schools' funding requirements.

Picture B : Forming a grade 1 parents group at SDN 03 Kanigoro.
Picture C : Forming a grade 4 parents group at SDN 01 Taman.

Schools and Committees Explain BOS to Parents

Transparency and accountability are issues that must be addressed if schools wish to raise the community's confidence in schools. Working together with the School Committees, the schools in Madiun explained School Operational Funding (BOS) to parents. Meetings were held so that the parents could understand the government's BOS funding program and how the funding is to be used in schools.

Picture D: Explaining BOS funding at SDN 01 Taman.