Govt seeks to raise education standards

Govt seeks to raise education standards

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian and Australian officials met here on Thursday to
discuss ways to raise educational standards in the country and
adjust qualification yardsticks to meet requirements in the two
countries.

Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo said the
program, discussed at the Indonesia-Australia Joint Work Group
(JWG) meeting, could help Indonesian schools achieve
international standards, which is part of the government's
education reform plans.

He said the Australian educational framework, which serves
both the national and state standards in that country, could also
benefit Indonesia's education decentralization plan in line with
regional autonomy legislation.

"In the spirit of decentralization, democratization and
regional autonomy, we have set our priorities, of which the
highest is to raise national standards of education that can
become a stepping stone to those recognized internationally,"
Bambang added.

The previous JWG exchange programs, started in 1996, focused
on decentralization management, vocational education, special
education, policy issues, forestry and marine resources.

"The JWG will contribute significantly to the development of
education in both countries. Indonesia, with various challenges
of development in a multicultural context, will surely offer
ample opportunity to Australia." said Bambang, adding that
Australia could learn from Indonesia about the implementation of
multiculturalism in a more complex setting.

Proposed projects for 2005 include collaboration between the
two countries' Vocational Education and Training (VET)
institutions, known as Vocational High Schools (SMK) in
Indonesia.

English language training, leadership and management for
principals and curriculum reform are among other ideas proposed
by Indonesia.

Indonesian students have contributed significant economic
benefits to Australia over the years. Some 24,000 Indonesian
students pursuing their studies in the neighboring country
represent the fourth largest group of international students
there, bringing in about Rp 2.5 trillion (AUS$ 500 million) in
2004 for the country.

Australia aspires to gain mutual recognition of education
qualifications and quality in both countries, according to Fiona
Buffinton, the head of Australian Education International at the
Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

"Some of the Australian education systems can be useful for
Indonesia," she said.(005)