Education Funding Allocation (continued)

At the end of the session, the districts that are already implementing FF reviewed its implementation to date. Those who have not yet implemented FF, made a draft FF plan and follow-up plans for their districts which are to be presented to education stakeholders.

The last stage of the workshop continued with phases 1 and 2 districts making review and follow-up plans. The review concluded that some districts still need technical support from the MBE in order to achieve their aims of transparency and efficiency in education funding.

The good news is, that besides Pati, Pacitan, Madiun, who have already implemented FF, Batu has now received legislative approval to implement FF in 2005 for all state and private schools, and Kebumen for primary schools (SD).
Well done! Who is next?

District Coordinators, Phase 3 Districts MBE Coordinators have been appointed and started work in the districts which recently joined the MBE program. They were recruited via an open and transparent process. Firstly, the vacancies were advertised in the newspaper in Central Java and East Java. Between 30 and 200 applications were received for each of the areas from which 4 or 5 of the best were chosen by local government and MBE together to be interviewed by both parties in June in Semarang and Malang. District Coordinators for 5 phase 3 districts in Central Java (left to right): Wahyu Daryono (Semarang district), Ahamad Mardiyanto Prasetyo (Magelang city), Nur Jannah (Purwerojo), Sarwa Eka (Sukoharjo), and Roy Amien Faowzie (Purbalingga) District Coordinators for 6 phase 3 districts in East Java (left to right): Mus Mualim(Pasuruan city), Mu'arifin(Malang district), Vita Novianti (Situbondo), Renniati Fadhilah (Nganjuk), Bagus Mindhoni(Trenggalek), Edi Prijono,ST (Magetan)

Funding and Learning

New ideas about learning and funding were introduced for consideration by participants attending the recent Formula Funding workshops for MBE Phase 3 Districts. It was pointed out that there is a significant change in the way we now think about formal education. We are moving from a paradigm that focused on teaching and what teachers do to one that focuses on learning and what learners do.

This change is most clearly illustrated by the rapid implementation of PAKEM in MBE districts. Several interesting examples of funding changes were explained by district representatives at the workshops. For example, many districts are already implementing immersion programs for students to strengthen English language learning.

In Semarang District, participants described how they were attempting to encourage and support student learning at home by enacting a law prohibiting the use of television between 5 and 7 pm. From East Java, both Trenggalek and Magetan reported on strategies to support experts to visit schools so that student can learn directly from them.

In addition, several districts described funding strategies to support the development and use of libraries, including the provision of books, developing libraries as learning centers (Nganjuk), and redesigning libraries and adding materials to match student’s development needs (Trenggalek).

How can you use funding to encourage and reward better student learning outcomes?

Education Exhibition in Ambal Sub-District

The Technical Services Unit (UPT) of the Education Department in Ambal sub-district, Kebumen, together with local sub district officers, village officials, community members, the business community, educators and related institutions within Ambal sub-district worked together to organize a four day education exhibition which was held from 2 – 5 July 2005. The participants came from primary and secondary schools and the business community in Ambal sub-district.

The exhibition, located at SMPN 2 Ambal, was self financed and was a joint program with MBE. This was the first time such an event had been organized and it provided the opportunity for dissemination of information about education and served to introduce MBE in particular to Ambal.

The exhibition was opened by the Bupati of Kebumen district H. Suroso and attended by the Head of the Education office, Bappeda, MORA, the Communications and Information Department, the Head of Sub-district, the Sub-district Military Commander, MBE consultants, principals, teachers, and the local community. The MBE stand was represented by the MBE target schools who shared one of the rooms.

Besides displaying students’ work, this educational exhibition also included a singing contest for primary and secondary school students and the public, a coloring competition for Kindergarten pupils, entertainment from primary and secondary students, and also an education seminar ‘Active Learning, Welcoming the Implementation of the 2004 Curriculum’.