MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
Australia will provide $11 million towards improving the quality of education in Indonesia's Islamic schools.
The funding is for initiatives to improve the English language teaching capabilities of 750 junior high school teachers, assist three Islamic universities to design and deliver quality degree programs for primary school teachers and promote equal learning opportunities for boys and girls in Indonesia.
These initiatives are part of the five-year, $30 million Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS) established by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in Indonesia.
There is a significant gap between the quality of education delivered in government secular schools and Islamic schools in Indonesia.
Australia's support for Islamic schools will help them offer a good standard of secular education, giving students a better chance to enter higher education or develop skills to enter the workforce.
These new initiatives will play a significant role in strengthening the skills of teachers in Indonesia's Islamic schools, known as madrasah. These schools educate about six million pupils, and are often the only schools available to poor children, particularly girls.
These LAPIS initiatives are yet more examples of the productive partnerships we have with many community and civil society organisations representing moderate Islam in Indonesia that are working to improve the delivery of basic services.
Australia is committed to working with Indonesia to equip its young people with the knowledge and skills they need to secure jobs and improve living standards for themselves and their families.
Australia is also funding the construction and expansion of 2000 schools across 20 Indonesian provinces, including 500 Islamic schools, with the aim of creating 330,000 new junior secondary school places in Indonesia by mid 2009.
Media contacts:
Malcolm Cole (Minister's Office) 02 6277 7500
AusAID (Public Affairs) 0417 680 590