Field Visit by Margaret Sancho, Director of USAID INDONESIA Education Office

Use Local Human Resources to Improve Education Quality

THE HEAD of the USAID INDONESIA Education Office, Margaret Sancho visited DBE East Java on 26-27 May 2010. During this visit she became acquainted with the DBE1, 2 and 3 working team in East Java and also learned about Indonesia’s basic education system by visiting school based management activities, observing teaching and learning, capacity building for provincial and districts governments and collaboration with a university and LPMP.

Together with Jalu Cahyanto (Education Specialist at USAID INDONESIA) and Stuart Weston (DBE3 Chief of Party). Margaret Sancho observed students learning at MTs Nurul Huda, a school that has been applying active learning since their participation in DBE3 training and mentoring. Ms. Sancho also had a dialogue with representatives from the Sidoarjo District Education Office and Ministry of Religious Affairs, school committee members, teachers and parents in order to gain input for future the USAID program.

One of the important things set out by Margaret Sancho during her dialogue was the desire to continue USAID program by building on the resources and well trained partners which have been developed under DBE. After visiting MTs Nurul Huda Ms. Sancho also visited TK Dharmawanita and MI Khoirul Huda.

Fun Ways to Learn Social Studies Using Board Games

CLASS 9 students sometimes find learning Social Studies boring, especially when the teacher is not good at making the lesson interesting. Alfiyah, S.Pd, a social studies teacher at SMPN 15 Surabaya tried to make the lesson interesting by getting students involved in creating board games using the theme 'South East Asian countries'. Firstly, the class was divided into six groups.

Each group member would compose a number of questions and answers, both on separate pieces of paper. The questions had to relate to the conditions of South East Asian nations. Then the group members created games based on those questions and answers. The result was great! There were several kinds of board games created by the students. Some of them were South East Asia Chess Cards from Class 9A, South East Asia Monopoly from Class 9B, Snakes and Ladders from class 9 C, and Brain Teaser Game from class 9D.

They were really excited, active and responsive. When someone was not able to answer a question, there was a penalty, such as singing or some other penalty agreed by the rest of the group. This showed that when given the opportunity and guided intensively students can create something really good.