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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