Kang GURU Travels
to Surabaya for LAPIS Opening
Kevin traveled toSurabaya in mid-August to attend the offical
opening by Australian Ambassador to iNDONESIA, mR. bILL fARMER, of three new LAPIS Islamic education activities
in Indonesia at IAIN Sunan Ampel.
In mid-August, Kevin flew to Surabaya to attend the Official Opening of the 3 new LAPIS activities
in Indonesia. The official launch of 3 LAPIS (Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools) activities took
place in August at IAIN Surabaya: ELTIS (English Language Training
for Islamic Schools); ELOIS (Equal Learning Opportunities in Islamic Schools); and PGMI (Islamic Basic Education).
These activities are funded by the Australian government, as part of its support for Indonesia’s Basic
Education Initiative. And we all know how important education is!
The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. Bill Farmer officiated
at the ceremony.
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Mr. Farmer announced three Australian Government-funded initiatives worth over A$11 million (IDR 87 billion)
to improve the quality of education in Indonesia’s Islamic schools. The package of initiatives is funded
under the five-year, A$30 million (IDR 234 billion) Learning Assistance Program in Islamic Schools (LAPIS)
through the Australian Government’s international development agency, AusAID.
The new initiatives aim to improve the English language teaching capabilities of 750 Madrasah Tsanawiyah (Junior
High School) teachers, to build the capacity of three Islamic universities to design and deliver quality
degree programs for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (Primary school) teachers, and to promote equal learning opportunities
for boys and girls in East Java, NTB and South Sulawesi.
At the ceremony at the State Islamic Institute IAIN Sunan Ampel in Surabaya, Mr Farmer, accompanied by Prof
Dr Arief Furqon, Expert Staff Ministry of Religious Affairs, noted the importance of the LAPIS initiative
in striving to bridge the gap between general education and Islamic education in Indonesia. There are nearly
40,000 registered Islamic schools in Indonesia (about 20 per cent of all schools), which educate about six
million students.
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