Poverty watch: NTB ranked 32 on HDI, as illiteracy rates soar

The illiteracy rate in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province remains high, placing it 32nd on the Human Development Index (HDI) out of the country’s 33 provinces.

As of January this year, more than 321,000 people above the age of 15 were still unable to read and write.

In 2008, the province’s Youth and Sports Office recorded more than 417,000 illiterate people in the province. The number has dropped following the Functional Literacy Eduction Program (KF) in 2009 to eradicate illiteracy.

The KF program, estimated to cost Rp 34 billion (US$3.4 million), derived from the state and provincial budgets, is only able to educate 95,650 out of the targeted 108,000.

“In the 2009 KF program, only 88.6 percent of the targeted 108,000 people had passed,” NTB 3A Acceleration Movement team coordinator Soedaryanto told The Jakarta Post.

The 3A (absano, akino, adono) Movement is part of the provincial administration’s program, launched in early 2009, to accelerate toward a zero rate of absono (illiteracy), akino (maternal mortality) and adono (school dropout) and improve the province’s HDI.  

The technical outline of funds usage for the KF program involved the services of the Community Learning Activities Center and non-governmental groups in the province.

Every study group, made up of one tutor and up to 15 pupils, received Rp 3.6 million for 32 study meetings.

Soedaryanto said the main problem in running the KF program was the fact many elderly and mentally challenged people were registered as participants.

He, however, claimed the program’s success in educating 88.6 percent of the targeted number could be deemed successful, since it had surpassed the national target of around 80 percent.

This year, the provincial administration will carry out the same program. It will target the same number of illiterate people or 108,000 people but its outline will involve various methods, including working with Mataram University students.

Under the plan, as many as 1,270 students will become tutors for their KKN apprenticeship program by targeting 21,000 participants.

“We name it the KKN-KF program, so students carrying out their KKN apprenticeship program in the villages can become tutors at the same time,” Soedaryanto said.

“Every study group will be conducted by two tutors.”

Previously, each group was provided with Rp 3.6 million, while the KKN-KF would need Rp 2.57 million for each group.

The provincial administration has set aside Rp 7.5 billion for the purpose. Each of the total of 911 villages and subdistricts across the province will be provided with KF funds worth Rp 10 million.

The villages and subdistricts are expected to form two study groups in their respective areas.

“Participants will also discuss maternity health and nutritional issues,” Soedaryanto said.

The 2010 KF program will be budgeted at Rp 34 billion like last year, including funds from the state and provincial budgets, but the funds are reportedly inadequate to alleviate illiteracy in the province.

Tunas Alam Indonesia Foundation (Santai) coordinator Juharis told the Post the KF program tended to be just a top-down project, failing to accommodate the aspirations of the targeted audience.

“As proof, in a number of villages, people come to the KF study groups as they are interested with the transportation allowance of Rp 5,000 for each participant for each lesson. They don’t really wish to learn.”

Soedaryanto said it would be better if the KF program applied the family empowerment approach, by encouraging a literate family member to teach his or her illiterate family members or neighbors.