he Culture and Education Ministry and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) presented literacy awards to 19 regencies and municipalities for having improved student literacy in the areas.
They are partners of the USAID Prioritizing Reform, Innovation, and Opportunities for Reaching Indonesia’s Teacher, Administrators, and Students (PRIORITAS) project.
One of programs in the project aims to improve students’ reading skills and to develop a reading culture in schools, which supports the ministry’s School Literacy Movement program.
“The ability to read is the foundation of learning. With a strong foundation of solid reading skills, students are better prepared for success as adults and as citizens,” USAID Education Office director Peter Cronin said during the award granting ceremony on Monday.
USAID PRIORITAS supports schools to improve the reading skills of early-grade students. It donated 8 million leveled reading books to 13,000 primary schools in its partner provinces and provided trainings for teachers to enhance their ability to use these books.
“We thank USAID for the USAID PRIORITAS work in literacy programs for elementary and junior high schools that has reached seven provinces since 2013. Through this work, schools are now able to take a more comprehensive approach to literacy programs,” said the ministry’s basic education director general Hamid Muhammad.
“USAID works with the local governments and encourages them to allocate local funding (APBD), apply regulations, and create innovations to produce successful and sustainable literacy programs.”
This PRIORITAS Literacy Award was given as an appreciation from the ministry to the regencies and municipalities. It is hoped the award can motivate local governments to continue developing enhanced literacy programs. (ebf)
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