Program

Human Interest Story: Weaving Hope in Remote West Kalimantan School

“Teachers are no longer absent. They are more responsible in providing the best education service for students. I hope KIAT Guru Program will continue,” said Natalia, a civil servant teacher at SDN 03 Tempoak public elementary school.

SDN 03 Tempoak is located in Ohak Hamlet, Tempoak Village in Menjalin Subdistrict, which is the westernmost point of Landak Subdistrict in West Kalimantan Province. There are two other public schools in the village: SDN 15 Betung Tanjung and SDN 20 Cagat.

Tempoak has been a target of KIAT Guru (Teacher Performance and Accountability) Pilot, which aims to improve education service delivery in remote villages by empowering communities and tying payment of the remote area allowance with either teacher presence or teacher service quality. The pilot is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Culture, the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K), and governments of five districts with disadvantaged villages. Yayasan BaKTI implements the program with technical supports from the World Bank and funding from the Government of Australia and USAID.

The Pilot has not only helped reduce the absentee rate among teachers in the school, but it also managed to improve the students' academic achievements. At the end of April 2018, the school took part in the Storytelling Competition held by Karangan Education Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) for elementary schools across the district.

SDN 03 Tempoak students were the only participants coming from remote villages in the competition, which was participated by students from three subdistricts – Mandor, Mempawah Hulu and Menjalin. The school also won the Reading Competition held by Library and Archive Office during the Mutual Cooperation Dedication Month last April in Landak District, where two other schools in Tempoak also participated in. Village stakeholders took pride in the participation, which according to them showed that remote schools can also compete with urban schools.

A smile of student weaving hope in remote West Kalimantan elementary school (TNP2K/Doge Abdurahman).

Sustainable Commitments from Stakeholders
Such achievements were new for SDN 03 Tempoak. Previously, some parents would prefer their children to go to SDN 20 in farther Cagat Hamlet to SDN 03 Tempoak, according to former school principal Sarinus Kabire. But now, parents in Ohak and Tareng Hamlets have more faith in the quality of education in SDN 03 Tempoak, which is now a Pilot Elementary School in the village.

“It's such a waste if the program discontinues because it has significant impacts to the quality of education in remote schools,” said Sarinus, who currently works as School Supervisor in Mempawah Hulu Subdistrict that borders with Menjalin.

All stakeholders are eager to continue KIAT Guru Program even after the implementing Team finishes its contract in April 2018.

“We are ready to continue the program because after KIAT Guru, the school in this village now has competitive edge over other schools in the subdistrict,” said Sunardi, a KIAT Guru's cadre.

Principal of SDN 03 Tempoak, Epi Pina Edita, acknowledged that KIAT Guru helped her job to get teachers to be more aware of the role, function and responsibility as educator.

User Committe (KPL), Village Cadre, and teachers complete the Teachers’ Attendance Form
(Formulir Pencocokan Kehadiran Guru, FPKG) (TNP2K/ Doge Abdurahman)

We are ready to continue the program because after KIAT Guru, the school in this village now has competitive edge over other schools in the subdistrict,” said Sunardi, a KIAT Guru's cadre.

Principal of SDN 03 Tempoak, Epi Pina Edita, acknowledged that KIAT Guru helped her job to get teachers to be more aware of the role, function and responsibility as educator.

“Teachers here are more disciplined now, they come and return home on time. They also prepare better for teaching and learning activities, and students get their rights to get full class,” she said, adding that if KIAT Guru was practiced in every school, the education state in all region will improve.

Tempoak Village Head, Damianus, was so proud of the elementary school's achievements that he is committed to allocate operational budget for the program continuation from the Village Fund.

School Supervisor in Menjalin Subdistrict, Hamdansyah, who frequently monitored the deve lopment of KIAT Guru's schools, said he would give sanction to teachers who refuse to cooperate. The statement was delivered during the monthly meeting attended by Teachers Board, the Education Users Committee (KPL), Village Cadres, and parents.

Hamdansyah said not only that KIAT Guru helped a great deal in doing his job, it also brought real changes in the pilot schools.

“Therefore, if teachers are reluctant to have their performances evaluated by user committee, report them to me. I will warn them, or even recommend their mutation if necessary,” he asserted.
 

(Novi Ariyanto)