The goal of LAPIS is to contribute to the improved quality of basic education in Islamic schools in Indonesia by strengthening selected Madrasah schools including their supporting institutions and communities to deliver better quality education services.
The $35 million Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS) was funded by the Australian Government in March 2004 in response to a request from the Department of Religion for assistance to improve the quality of private madrasah (only 4,000 of the estimated 40,000 madrasah in Indonesia are state-run). LAPIS has built strong linkages to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and to higher education networks. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has been supportive of LAPIS initiatives and co-chairs the LAPIS Advisory Board. Initial LAPIS work has focused on building relationships, understanding the sector, gaining trust and developing a strategy for working in the basic education sector in Islamic Schools. Some 80 small grant activities (Innovation Activities), such as school based management, teacher upgrading and English language training, have been carried out at the local level over the past 5 years.
Early work on LAPIS established the necessary networks and understanding of the sector to identify key areas for LAPIS future work in contributing to improving the quality of basic education in Islamic Schools in Indonesia. An $11 million package of LAPIS initiatives known as “Consolidation Activities” commenced in 2007 aimed at improving the English language teaching capabilities of Madrasah Tsanawiyah (Junior High School) teachers (ELTIS), to build the capacity of three Islamic universities to design and deliver quality degree programs for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (Primary school) teachers (PGMI), and to promote equal learning opportunities for boys and girls in East Java, NTB and South Sulawesi (ELOIS). These LAPIS Consolidation Activities continue to provide strong engagement with stakeholders in the respective areas and have all made strong contributions to the overall success of LAPIS.
LAPIS has just started a new program called Integration Activities which commenced in early 2009 and will be implemented over the 12 months in 2009-2010. The Integration Activities are aimed at increasing the capacity of selected madrasah in East Java, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to better meet Accreditation Standards. Common themes have been identified which are linked to the Government of Indonesia's National Standards for madrasah accreditation. All of these themes address the needs of teachers, students, administrators and communities.
LAPIS will conclude in June 2010, so currently the program is considering questions of transference of ownership and responsibility of LAPIS in moving from external donors to its Indonesian stakeholders’ family in Islamic Schools.
STRATEGIC ASPECTS IN LAPIS IMPLEMENTATION
- Maintaining, consolidating and strengthening the relationship with and throughout the Islamic Education Sub Sector (IESS) is the guiding principle for LAPIS;
- Work with and extend existing Madrasah networks associated with Islamic higher education (e.g. UIN/IAIN/STAIN networks);
- Action learning in a broad variety of locations through grant and technical assistance to innovative activities, to identify opportunities for future development as well as keep abreast of trends and changes in the IESS;
- In-depth focus on an increasing number of key locations identified through cooperating with innovative activities;
- LAPIS works primarily at the Madrasah Community level and engages with Departemen Agama(Religious Affairs Department) where possible and as appropriate through the Directorate General of Islamic Education;
- LAPIS focuses upon ‘private’ Madrasah, particularly those in need with the potential for strategic development;
- Cooperate with other AusAID activities and other donors as well as with the Basic Education Program (BEP) and participate actively in the Ministry of Religious Affairs-Program Management Unit (MORA PMU);
- LAPIS is demand driven, responsive, flexible, participatory and local; and
- Well-being of the child and affirmative action are key foci.
