United States Launches $83.7 Million Program to Support Education in Indonesia

U.S. Ambassador Scot Marciel, Minister of Education and Culture Mohammad Nuh, Secretary to the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare D. Indroyono Soesilo, Director General of Islamic Education from the Ministry of Religious Affairs H. Nur Syam, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Andrew Sisson today launched USAID’s $83.7 million education program that will benefit more than 300,000 Indonesian students. Education is a key component of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, inaugurated by Presidents Barack Obama and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010 to increase cooperation and deepen ties between the two nations.

“Close cooperation in education is a fundamental element of the Comprehensive Partnership,” said U.S. Ambassador Marciel. “The new USAID basic education program will help primary schools, junior secondary schools, and madrasahs provide a world-class education to Indonesia’s youth. We hope this program will help students across the country reach their full-potential and place them on a path to success.”
The USAID Prioritizing Reform, Innovation, Opportunities for Reaching Indonesia’s Teacher, Administrators, and Students (PRIORITAS) program will improve the quality of teaching and learning in 1,400 primary school, junior secondary school, and madrasahs in 110 districts, focusing on low-income areas through teacher and management training.

 
USAID PRIORITAS will enhance the capacity of local and provincial governments to coordinate, plan, manage and finance education services. The program will support improvements in higher education by working with at least 20 Teacher Training Institutes to improve the training and performance of teachers. USAID PRIORITAS will also support provincial education offices to strengthen in-service training for district and school administrators related to school management, financial analysis and governance. The program will work in Aceh, Banten, Central Java, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra, Papua, South Sulawesi, West Java, and West Nusa Tenggara.