Germany, NU team up to train teachers

JAKARTA: A German education foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) for the training of teachers and instructors for its Aliyah senior high schools and vocational schools in Aceh.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) in Jakarta granted 180,000 euros (Rp 2 billion) in aid to finance upgrading programs for 180 teaching staff and instructors of a number of Aliyah schools run by NU's Maarif education foundation in Banda Aceh, Bireuen and Lhokseumawe.

HSF chairman Christian J. Hegemer said the cooperation with the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization was aimed at enhancing their friendship and to help improve the quality of human resources in the country, especially in the tsunami-hit province.

The training program was a pilot project for a possible enhancement of cooperation between the two organizations in the future.

NU leader Hasyim Muzadi, who attended the signing ceremony, pledged to be transparent and uphold accountability principles in managing the aid funds. --JP