Now for 2007 with AusAID and Kang Guru
During 2007 KGRE plans to report on the work of Australian volunteers in Indonesia who are in Indonesia through
the Australian Volunteers International (AVI), Volunteering
for International Development from Australia (VIDA), Australian
Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) and the Australian
Business Volunteers (ABV) programs. KGRE is featuring the Australian Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) in February
as they celebrate their 25th Anniversary in
Indonesia. Australian supported schoalrship programs will also be highlighted during 2007 — both Australian
Development Scholarships (ADS) and Australian
Leadership Awards (22
awarded in 2006).
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Some other important Information from AusAID for 2006-7
At the beginning of 2007, AusAID is on track to spend A$340 million across the Australia Indonesia Program
in the 2006-07 financial year.
The past 12 months have been largely characterised by Australia's ongoing work to help Indonesia recover from
the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami, which exacted a heavy toll on Indonesia, most harshly in Aceh Province. Australia's
assistance to Indonesia has helped forge even closer ties between the two countries, which have been reinforced
by the ready support offered by Australia after the Yogyakarta earthquake in May, and contributions to help
those affected by this year's Mt Merapi eruption and southern Java tsunami.
Throughout the year Australia has continued a major program of reconstruction and capacity building in Aceh,
which will continue through 2007. But responding to disasters and helping rebuild communities is only part
of Australia's aid commitment to Indonesia, and this year's programs reflected the ongoing partnership between
the two countries that aims to build a safe and peaceful Indonesia. The diverse programs undertaken by AusAID
in partnership with the Government of Indonesia this year demonstrated the strength of this relationship — it
was also reflected in the high number of Indonesian staff who help the programs achieve their goals.
In June 2006 Australia and Indonesia signed an agreement enabling AusAID to provide funds for aid-related
activities. Under the Partnership Loan Agreement, AusAID is now able to distribute loan funds to enable projects
under the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development. Efforts to strengthen Indonesia's
economic governance and public sector management capabilities have gathered steam under the $50 million,
five-year Government Partnerships Fund. Already 12 Australian agencies are engaged with their Indonesian
counterparts, including the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, the Commonwealth Ombudsman
and the Reserve Bank.
(This extract is taken from AusAID's
Review and Update Newsletter 2006 - 2007)
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KGRE is also very interested in the schools being built in the '2000 New Schools program' from AusAID.
In 2006 AusAID has commenced a huge program to assist the Indonesian Government's introduction of a new, compulsory
standard of nine years' education for all students. AusAID's Basic Education Program is working to overcome
a lack of access to secondary schools, focusing on providing more than 330,000 new places for Junior Secondary
students from Years 7 to 9, by building and expanding 2000 schools. Construction began in 13 provinces this
year, predominantly in eastern Indonesia, and will begin in five more in early 2007. The first phase sees
around 400 schools ready at the beginning of the Indonesian school year, with construction of the others
continuing over the next two to three years. AusAID is working in partnership with the Indonesian Government
to provide both general secular schools and Islamic schools. An ongoing part of the program is Australia's
substantial work toward improving educational quality and management. The schools will be built or extended
in poor and remote areas where there are either no schools, or the existing schools are overcrowded. The
construction work will be done by local people
– not commercial companies – through the Government of Indonesia's established community construction
systems, with AusAID funding technical supervision to ensure the schools meet high building standards. While
at least 330,000 new formal students will benefit from the facilities, the program will encourage their use
for non-formal education as well, opening up learning opportunities to many more people in remote and previously
under-serviced areas.
(This extract is taken from AusAID's
Review and Update Newsletter 2006 - 2007)
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Allison Sudradjat is the Head of AusAID in Indonesia. Allison has a long association with Indonesia. In her
position, Allison oversees all AusAID activities in Indonesia and represents the Australian Aid Program here.
This is what she told KGRE late in 2006 about AusAID in Indonesia and how AusAID works together with the
Indonesian Government.
“The Australian Government cannot just walk in (to Indonesia) and say
‘We're here. We know what the problems are. We'll fix them up.’ It doesn't work like that. That
analysis is done by the government of Indonesia. What we do is say ‘(we've) got a bit of experience
in this area, we've done something similar in another country, we have a bit of a history of working together
in this sector. How about we look at it (the situation) and (then) a project that might draw on some of Australia's
skills and expertise’.”
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