E. Kalimantan school model for excellence

BALIKPAPAN: Balikpapan's state high school, SMAN 2, has been cited as a model for quality improvement in East Kalimantan three years after joining the United School Program (USP) sponsored by Sampoerna Foundation.

Speaking at a school principals meeting here Friday, the foundation's director of programs and alumni affairs Eddy Henry said the school's success had to be recognized.

SMAN 2 principal Totok Ismawanto, just named as the province's principal of the year, said his school had joined in several activities offered by the quality improvement program.

USP brought in leadership and managerial trainings for school principals, training in innovative teaching methods for teachers, facilities improvements and trainings for students.

"As head of the school I cannot do it alone. The USP has given us support to improve and achieve," said Totok.

Since joining the program in 2005, the school has dramatically improved its ranking among schools both at the provincial and national levels. All seniors passed the national exam in each of the last three years.

The students' average passing score has also significantly improved from only 7.57 in 2005 to 8.55 this year for natural science majors, and from 7.37 in 2005 to 8.52 this year for social science majors.

At the national level, SMAN 2 has upped its natural sciences ranking from 858th in 2005 to 244th this year and its social sciences ranking from 700th to 80th for the same period. -- JP