Indonesia, Australia officialy open 46 Islamic schools

Jakarta, NU Online
The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, and Indonesian Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad M Basyuni here on Wednesday attended a ceremony at MTs PSA Al Fauzan in Labruk Lor, Lumajang District, East Java Province, to mark the opening of 46 Islamic junior secondary schools (Madrasah Tsanawiyah) that have been built with Australian assistance.

The construction of the 46 schools commenced in 2006 and are ready for the 2007 school year, which began last month. Work is due to commence in coming weeks on further 275 Islamic schools that will open to students in mid 2008.<>

Farmer said the schools were part of the Rp2.5 trillion Australian Government program which is funding the construction or expansion of 2000 schools in 20 Indonesian provinces until 2009.

"Of those 2000 schools, 500 are madrasah, which demonstrate clearly the importance of Islamic schools to the Indonesian education system, and Australia?s understanding of their role in educating Indonesia?s children," Farmer said.

The construction program will create more than 330,000 new junior secondary school places for 13 to 15 year olds, targeting children from poor and remote areas.

Al Fauzan school is built on land that was donated to the public by the Lumajang District head and Al Fauzan Foundation.

Local people built the school using locally supplied materials. All school sites were selected based on an assessment of unmet demand, enrollment rates and community involvement.

"Australia continues to support education in Indonesia, recognizing it can significantly improve the quality of people?s lives," Farmer was quoted by the state news agency as saying.

Some 330 junior secondary schools have been built in partnership with the Ministry of National Education. The construction work of up to 1200 general and Islamic schools is expected to be completed by mid 2008, a press statement of the Australian embassy said. (dar)