Decentralized Basic Education 1

Problem addressed and inputs provided

Education in Indonesia was decentralized in 2001 to the local district level.  Although there have been regulations and policies in the subsequent years to guide this transition, local governments now responsible for running basic education services are in most cases inadequately qualified.  The DBE program is working to strengthen the quality of basic education at 100 of the country’s approximately 440 districts over five years and supports the local implementation of national policies on school based management and curriculum.

The DBE1 contract with Research Triangle Institute was signed in April 2005. The DBE1 program component addresses the conditions of education that make it possible for teachers to improve their performance in the classroom. DBE1 interventions apply to state secular schools and state and private religious schools, including madrasah, that follow the national curriculum. To achieve broader replication of successful DBE1 interventions, and to influence education policy, DBE1 disseminates the results of its monitoring and evaluation to policy makers at all levels of government, including districts that are not directly targeted but are interested in replicating project results. DBE1 strives to address issues of funding, community participation, data, and education planning, detailed as follows:   

1. DBE1 addresses transparency in reporting sources of education funding, as well as increasing accountability at the school and district level, by offering training for school committees, parents and the broader community during the planning processes at the school and district levels to increase capacity, and monitor expenditures and school performance. 
2. Funding for education is insufficient at all levels.  A government law passed in 2003 stated that 20% of the national budget must be allocated for education, but to date only about 9% is allocated for education.  DBE1 contributes to this gap by facilitating alliances with the private sector, and holding seminars to explain the benefits to each party as a result of the partnership. DBE1 is leveraging over $1 million in private sector contributions during the five years of the project.  
3.  The allocation of public funds for education is primarily based on the number of students enrolled in a given school.  DBE1 is providing assistance to districts to identify factors for a more rational distribution of funds, such as number of poor students, academic performance, or number of classrooms. The resulting “formula funding” will allow each district to use its resources more effectively in a transparent fashion.  
4. Corruption throughout Indonesia is universally acknowledged.  DBE1 is helping education officials develop clear guidelines for reporting the sources and uses of funds.  Training workshops create understanding of the guidelines and promote the adoption of the guidelines in project districts. This is reinforced by increasing the awareness of the local press and Civil Society Organizations in monitoring education expenditures through workshops and seminars.  
5. The government introduced a policy in 2005 to increase funding for education by providing large block grants directly to schools and madrasah.  DBE1 is delivering training programs tailored to assist schools and districts to implement new budgeting procedures, including formula funding, to make the most rational use of the subsidies while they last. 
6. The lack of parental and community participation in determining priorities for education is being addressed through participatory planning study visits to exemplary schools that have implemented transparent budgeting and planning.  School visits are followed by training and community level workshops for a broad range of stakeholders. 
7. This lack of community participation in determining education priorities is caused largely by inadequate representation of community on school committees and district education councils. DBE1 is demonstrating the value of such participation through workshops to review policy on school committee and council composition, helping school officials identify value that community representatives can provide.  
8. Using up-to-date and accurate data for planning purposes is being encouraged through training planning staff on maximizing the data they already have; and/or by providing assistance in selecting or developing new software and then training district staff in its use.  
9. The deficiency of data on the quality of education—such as students’ competencies in reading, writing and mathematics, and teacher performance – is being improved through the development of manuals, instruments and procedures for monitoring and reporting on student achievement and teacher performance, and training personnel to accurately submit these data to better plan at the school and district levels. 
10. Schools and districts lack up-to-date data because of the slow and cumbersome process for gathering and reporting data. DBE1 provides technology grants on a competitive basis to apply technology for the purpose of expediting data and information transfer. 
11. District personnel systems are being improved by providing several different kinds of incentives to increase the motivation of educators to perform and encourage transfers from urban to rural schools.

All Education activities