Indonesia, Australia officially open 46 Islamic Schools

WOJ, August 2007

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, and Indonesian Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad M Basyuni here on Wednesday attended a ceremony at MTs PSA Al Fauzan in Labruk Lor, Lumajang District, East Java Province, to mark the opening of 46 Islamic junior secondary schools (Madrasah Tsanawiyah) that have been built with Australian assistance.

The construction of the 46 schools commenced in 2006 and are ready for the 2007 school year, which began last month. Work is due to commence in coming weeks on further 275 Islamic schools that will open to students in mid 2008.

Farmer said the schools were part of the Rp2.5 trillion Australian Government program which is funding the construction or expansion of 2000 schools in 20 Indonesian provinces until 2009.

“Of those 2000 schools, 500 are madrasah, which demonstrate clearly the importance of Islamic schools to the Indonesian education system, and Australia?s understanding of their role in educating Indonesia?s children,” Farmer said.

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