Indonesia: technology enters the classroom
Over 10,000 teachers in Indonesia are set to receive training in information and communications technology after an agreement between the Teachers’ Association of the Republic of Indonesia and various telecom companies.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in Jakarta between the Teachers’ Association of the Republic of Indonesia (PGRI), PT-Telekomunikasi Indonesia and Intel Indonesia Corporation. The MOU will facilitate the development of information and communication technology (ICT)-based learning for teachers throughout 69 districts in Indonesia.
“This initiative is aimed at improving teachers’ skills and achieving quality education,” said PGRI President Sulistiyo.“PGRI expects that teachers will be able to gain easy access to the technology and be able to develop their learning based on ICT.”
Using ICT for quality education
"These new technologies should be used as supplements to, and not replacements for, in-class-instruction,’ said EI's General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen, "They require reflection on and improvement of teacher training and development programmes, curricula, teachers’ workload, and education institutions’ infrastructure.’
‘The development of ICT also demands that the issue of equity of access to such technologies across the globe is resolved,’ van Leeuwen said, ‘Unless ICT is harnessed effectively and made available widely, it will contribute to the growing gap between the wealthier and poorer societies throughout the world’.
