Young Australian Muslims Attend Islamic School Inauguration

Five young Muslim leaders visiting from Australia attended the inauguration ceremony for Al Hidayah Madrasah at Sukabumi, one of 2000 schools Australia is building in partnership with the Government of Indonesia under the Basic Education Program.

The young Muslims are visiting Indonesia as part of the Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program. During their visit they will meet religious, political and community leaders to learn more about the role of religion, especially Islam, in Indonesia.

At the school inauguration, the Australian students socialised with Indonesian students from the local community to exchange views and share experiences of what it means to be a Muslim in Australia and Indonesia.

The Cultural Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Fiona Hoggart, opened the Al Hidayah Madrasah saying the school formed part of one of Australia’s biggest infrastructure programs in the region.

“The $355 million Basic Education Program will fund the construction or expansion of 2000 public and Islamic schools in 20 Indonesian provinces over the next three years,” Ms Hoggart said.

“Around 1000 schools are expected to be completed by the middle of 2008.

“The construction program will create in excess of 330,000 new junior secondary school places for 13 to 15 year olds, targeting children from poor and remote areas. People from the local community are building the schools using locally supplied materials.

“Indonesia has a goal of providing nine years of basic education to every child. Almost two million Indonesian children aged 13 to 15 do not attend school mainly because they are too far away or have no places.

“In Sukabumi, for example, there is a shortage of around 100 junior secondary school places. When Al Hidayah is finished those 100 students will be able to continue on to junior secondary school. The school sites are being identified on the basis of unmet demand, enrolment rates and community involvement,” Ms Hoggart said.

Contact:
Mia Salim: 0812 107 0237