AusAID Team Visit to Pidie

Yesterday afternoon, a team consisted of Georgina Harley, Grant Morison, Mary Fearnley Sanders and Sofyan Gani arrived in Pidie. Georgina is representative of AusAID in Jakarta who is responsible for Education Program in Aceh. Grant Morison is representative of AIPRD in Canberra - Australia. Mary Fearnley Sanders is Director of Education Rehabilitation in Aceh (ERA) while Sofyan Gani is Advisor for ERA.

The team visit to Pidie is to collect information from counterparts and stakeholders about how the ERA program works and how AusAID can supports education development program in Aceh in general.

The first meeting was with counterpart at district level. Syamsudin, the Head of Education Office, accompanied by the head of office administration; the Head of Basic Education Sub Office; and representative of the Religious Department; warmly welcomed the team. For about two hours through a lively discussion, the AusAID team received many information about education issues and the support need to be provided by AusAID.

Syamsudin described that Pidie affected by a long conflict and also by Tsunami. There were hundreds of schools burned in 2000 - 2002. Library and books also burned at that time. In that abnormal situation, most of parents couldn't work normally and it affected their income. When Tsunami attacked Aceh, some shools along the coast destroyed. Hundreds of students and teachers died or lost.

Syamsudin explained that the most needed is support in improving the quality of education, particularly in primary school level. He assumed that education at primary school level is the most important, considering that it will colored children competencies and their readiness since the early stage. Quality education at primary level, will eliminate constraints and problems at the higher level of education. The first district strategic plan in education is to improve the quality of education. Pidie has achieved a tremendous achievement in compulsary education. The NER (Net Enrollment Ratio) for promary school is 100 per cent and for junior high school is around 97 %. For this achievement, the Central Government has awarded Pidie.

Syamsudin also mentioned that the cluster program implemented by ERA and supported by AusAID is the most success in Pidie. Based on the evidence of the success, only 4 months after ERA cluster program implemented, Pidie Government provided 17.5 million rupiahs per cluster for all of the 64 clusters in Pidie District. Education office adopted ERA approach and model in revitalise the cluster. In 2007 fiscal year, the legislative has approved and signed budget to support the clusters (Rp 25 million per cluster).

Pidie has shown its commitment to support the program. Pidie commitment is a reflection of their trust on the program. They believe that this program is relevant with the real and crucial needs. They are also happy because it is implemented with the inclsusion of counterparts and stakeholder through a negotiated structured which is based on the existing structure. This approach will ensure district and sub district preparedness in continuing the program. In other word, it will build local government capacity for program sustainability.

Both of Grant and Georgina were pleased with the lively discussion and frankly explanation provided by the counterparts from Education Office and the Religious Department. They were also happy that the cluster program implemented by ERA is not only relevant but also significant as well in improving school community performance. The results of follow up survey conducted in early February shown that the school performance is improved, which can be seen from the positive changes in teaching learning practice, the more transparent and participative school management, and also from the increasing of community contribution in supporting the schools program.