USAID DBE3 Life Skills for Youth

The national education law of 2003 emphasizes the need for improved quality and the development of standards in six key areas: the content of education, the process of education, facilities and infrastructure, management, teachers and education staff, the financing of education, and the standard of graduates from education. Since 2003, the Government of Indonesia has made substantial progress in establishing these standards, particularly with regard to teachers. Key legislation, including Law 19/2003 on the National Education Standards, Law 14/2005 on the Teacher and Lecturer, and the Regulation from the Minister of National Education No 16/2007 on Teacher Competency Standards, detail the minimum qualifications and competencies required of teachers. The Ministry of National Education and the Directorate General for the Quality Improvement of Teachers and Education Personnel (PMPTK) are now tasked with ensuring that the approximately 3 million teachers in service meet these standards. Teacher Professional Development Associations in Indonesia, such as Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran (MGMP) and Kelompok Kerja Guru (KKG), play a crucial role in the professional development of teachers. The PMPTK plans to implement a bottom-up approach to professional development, where existing teacher networks will identify their own needs and submit proposals to provincial branches of the Ministry of National Education to receive block grants for revitalization and empowerment. However, the Government recognizes that many MGMP are not functioning optimally, with issues such as poor management, inadequate budgeting, and insufficient support from local governments and education stakeholders. In 2006, the DBE3 project conducted an assessment of MGMP, which identified similar challenges, including size and composition, management, activities, and support. To address these issues, the Ministry of National Education has established criteria for MGMP to receive block grants for empowerment. MGMP must demonstrate good performance, a professional development program focused on improving teaching and learning quality, a conducive work environment, a transparent and accountable management system, and a management structure approved by the District Office of Education. The Decentralized Basic Education Three (DBE3) Project, funded by USAID, aims to support the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs to improve the quality and relevance of formal junior secondary and non-formal education through the use of teacher networks, including MGMP, for continued professional development. To achieve this aim, DBE3 has developed a module titled "Using Teacher Networks for Continuing Professional Development." The module is designed to support any teacher network, whether formal or informal, to become an active, accountable, and transparent network implementing a needs-based program of activities focusing on teacher professional development. Specifically, the module will support managers of MGMP to meet the criteria for receiving a "Block Grant for Empowering MGMP" from the Ministry of Education. The module includes training materials and self-study materials, which have been developed based on the Ministry of National Education and DBE3's assessment of MGMP and the criteria for MGMP eligibility to apply for block grants. The training materials include sessions on reviewing the characteristics of a professional teacher in Indonesia, reviewing the functioning of existing teacher networks, and developing an effective and needs-based program of activities.