Germany to rebuild schools in Aceh

JAKARTA: Representatives from a joint mission involving the German Development Bank (KfW) and German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday with the Ministry of National Education on a 23 million euro (US$30 million) grant facility to help rebuild vocational schools in Aceh and North Sumatra.

"We chose to prioritize the rebuilding of vocational schools first as this will help provide the life skills that the Acehnese need," GTZ representative Dieter Moll said, adding that grants would be provided later for junior high and elementary schools.

The German team, together with the ministry, has identified 12 vocational schools, both in Aceh and North Sumatra, in need of reconstruction. During the early stages, it intends to focus on three vocational schools in Banda Aceh, which will be built as centers of competence and teacher training.

"This program will begin in May and will be completed in 2009," the ministry's director general of elementary and intermediate education, Indra Djati Sidi, said.

Aside from rebuilding vocational schools, the German program will also involve the building of two special schools in Banda Aceh. -- JP