Teachers awarded for proposals

JAKARTA: Thirty-three high school teachers in Greater Jakarta were awarded US$500 each to implement their proposals on attractive education methods for their students. The program, in which 218 proposals were submitted, was held by Hope Indonesia Foundation and Citibank Peka.

The teachers will apply their proposal in their schools and will be accompanied by 99 volunteers from Citibank Peka.

Only five of the 33 activities by the teachers will be given cash prizes: $500 for the teachers and $1,000 for the schools. The announcement will take place in January 2004.

Eko Agus Susilo of Al Azhar 4 Islamic high school in Bekasi, one of the 33 winners, submitted his proposal on learning English through theater.

"I chose a theatrical performance, with the theme of the environment, to help students familiar with English," he said.

A member of the panel of judges Dharmayati Utoyo Lubis of the University of Indonesia school of psychology said that through such programs teachers would be able to stimulate students to comprehend subjects better.

"With such activities, students will learn more than they would through reading books. Teachers will also be encouraged to be more creative in their teaching methods," she said. -- JP