New School Opens A New Chapter for Parung’s Children

Families, children and teachers from Parung in West Java are celebrating the opening of their new school on the eve of National Education Day, May 2.

SMPN 2 Parung was built by the local community with financial support from Australia. Through its Education Partnership with Indonesia, Australia will build or extend up to 2000 junior secondary schools across Indonesia. This will improve access to education for approximately 300,000 more children in rural and remote areas of Indonesia.

For over seven years, the students and teachers of SMPN 2 Parung have been sharing facilities with a nearby elementary school. With the new school opening, junior secondary students will finally have their own learning facilities.

“Previously the drop-out rate was quite high, because children had to travel quite far to get to school,” said School Principal, Syamsuddin. “It’s not that they didn’t want to go, but the cost of transport was high. Now many of them can walk.”

SMP2 Parung is one of 451 schools that have been built or extended under the Education Partnership since the middle of last year.

“Australia is working with the Indonesian government to build good quality and more easily accessible schools, because all Indonesian children deserve a good education,” said Head of AusAID Indonesia, Jacqui De Lacy.

This week 129 district education offices and Indonesia’s Ministry of Education signed a Memoranda of Agreement for Australian-funded new school construction in 2013.

Other elements of Australia’s Education Partnership with Indonesia include: skills training for 293,000 school principals, supervisors and local government education officials to deliver better quality education services; support for 1,500 Madrasah to be accredited against Indonesian government standards; and provision of research and analysis to help decision makers improve education programs and policies.

Media enquiries:
Mia Salim – AusAID public affairs manager – 08121 070 237