The 7th EBF – Teaching Indonesia “Enlightening Indonesia’s Future”
Company-Community Partnerships for Health in Indonesia (CCPHI) held the seventh Education and Business Forum (EBF) on August 28, 2013 featuring the educational program in remote areas. Hosted by Indika Energy and moderated by Hotben Situmorang from Indonesian Teachers’ Association (www.igi.or.id), the event was attended by 50 participants from 16 companies, and 9 NGOs.
Indika Energy have partnered with Indonesia Mengajar to improve the quality of education for elementary school students in Indonesia. Indika Energy (www.indikaenergy.co.id) is an integrated energy company providing diversified investments in the areas of energy resources, energy services, and energy infrastructure to include production, engineering, procurement and construction services, in coal mining and power generation project. While Indonesia Mengajar (www.indonesiamengajar.org) is a non-profit organization that places the best university graduates to serve as elementary school teachers (usually called as Pengajar Muda/Young Teachers) in remote areas.
Ratih Loekito, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility & External Communications of Indika Energy and Hikmat Hardono, Executive Director of Indonesia Mengajar, presented their partnership titled "Enlightening Indonesia's Future" a program designed to improve the quality of basic education in remote areas. Both organizations agreed to partner with the purpose to(1) fulfill the shortage of teachers in remote areas, and (2) provide leadership skills opportunity for the Pengajar Muda.
Indika Energy provided resources including funding, facilities at the early stage of program implementation and developed basic concept of the program. Indonesia Mengajar developed the overall program concept, sustainability plan, implementation's strategy, and also monitoring and evaluation. Indonesia Mengajar also promoting the spirit of volunteerism in teaching through various initiatives, maintaining relationship and communication with the local governments and other relevant institutions. The partnership, which began in 2010 and is still underway, has benefitted to more than 22 thousand elementary school students in 16 provinces in Indonesia. Indonesia Mengajar has inspired many voluntary-based education movements in the country.