Ukui, March 19, 2011-Tanoto Foundation in cooperation with PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) and Asian Agri held teacher training ‘Basic of Active Learning’ through Pelita Pendidikan Program at the SDN 016 Air Hitam, Ukui. The training was participated by teachers from 12 elementary schools in Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency.

Medi Yusva, Regional Project Manager of Tanoto Foundation Pelita Pendidikan Program in Riau revealed that one component of Pelita Pendidikan Program is Pelita Guru Mandiri (Steady, Reliable, Intention, Generous, Intellectual, Friendly, and Having Integrity). The program is designed based on data from the Ministry of National Education which shows that from 2.7 million teachers in Indonesia, 1.4 million is elementary school teachers. However, only 8.3%1 meets the standards of being elementary school teachers.

Dewi Susanti, Program Director of Tanoto Foundation said, “Based on field observation, it is found that most teachers have not applied ‘Active Learning Methods’ that has been developed since 1984 in Indonesia. A study conducted by Bjork at six schools in Malang2, shows that the weakness of teachers in applying methods and curriculum from the central government is due to lack of training and mentoring, which actually enables a paradigmatic changes in teaching systematically. Therefore, Pelita Guru Mandiri Program is dedicated to elementary school teachers to have a good understanding of active and collaborative learning methods, and how to apply these methods in classroom.“

The Pelita Guru Mandiri Program consists of 3 stages of training, within 2 years. In this first stage, Tanoto Foundation and the team from Credo Foundation, introduces participants to the methods and ways of clustering active learning. Furthermore, the training also aims to identify motivated and potential teachers and principals to become trainer candidates at local area. In the second stage, training will be more focused on deepening participants’ knowledge and abilities to develop and apply methods and clustering active learning in daily teaching and learning activities. In the third stage, it will focus on developing leadership and trainer candidates’ skills to become facilitators and advisors to other teachers.

The first stage of Pelita Guru Mandiri Program was held in North Sumatra and Jambi in 2010 for 210 participants. The 2011 training ‘Fundamentals of Active Learning’ will be held 3 times in several districts in Riau. It is expected that this training will contribute to develop teachers’ capacity in Riau. Until 2009, only 16% of elementary school teachers are already qualified for S1/D43.

Pelita Guru Mandiri is a part of PELITA Education, which is a school development program focused on empowering teachers and educational institutions, and improving physical and intellectual environment in schools. It is aimed to more than 200 schools, mostly for elementary schools in remote areas in 3 (three) provinces: North Sumatra, Riau, and Jambi.

PelitaPendidikanProgramhas 3(three) othercomponents, which arePelitaASRI(Safe, Healthy, and Eco-Friendly), PelitaPustaka(Improving collectionof libraryandexchange booksbetweenschools) andPelitaSekolah Unggul(Real, persistent, diligent, and superior) carried out in3regions: NorthSumatra, Riau,andJambi.

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Tanoto Foundation

The Tanoto Foundation was founded by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah B. Tanoto in 2001.It strives to be a center of excellence in facilitating and improving access to quality education and empowerment opportunities that contribute to poverty reduction. The Tanoto Foundation focuses its programs on education and empowerment. In education, the Tanoto Foundation provides scholarships for undergraduate (S1) and postgraduate (S2) students; manages Development Programs of Education Quality (PELITA Sekolah) in 3 provinces—collaborating with APRIL and Asian Agril; manages Advanced Education Support programs to support the development of applicative research in higher education and some partnership programs in education. For empowerment programs, the Tanoto Foundation administers small business coaching programs and society income development, independently as well as through CSR partner program, especially with APRIL and Asian Agri. To bring significant and sustainable impacts to the society, the Tanoto Foundation always cater the programs to the needs of local society in hope to significantly contribute to the poverty alleviation in Indonesia. For further information, please visit www.tanotofoundation.org

About Asian Agri

Asian Agri is a national private company engaged in oil palm plantations and processing unit since 1979. Moreover, since 1987, Asian Agri has helped the Government of Indonesia in development and construction program of Transmigration Nucleus Plantations (PIR-Trans).

Currently, Asian Agri manages approximately 160,000 hectares of land, consisting of approximately 100,000 hectares of its own plantation and guides about 60,000 hectares of plasma farmer lands. Farmers of Agri Asian partners are located in North Sumatra, Riau, and Jambi. Until now, Asian Agri employs about 25,000 employees and has 29,000 partners of Head of Family Plasma Farmers and Primary Members of Cooperative Credit).

The success of Asian Agri as one of the leading oil palm plantation companies in Indonesia has been recognized internationally by receiving ISO 14001 certification for all operating units and ISO 9001 for the Asian Agri training center (AA Learning Institute) in Pelalawan, Riau and breeding research center in Kampar, Riau in 2007. In addition, the Asian Agri R & D Center in Tebing Tinggi has also been certified as a top laboratory in Malaysia and Indonesia by the International Plant Exchange-WEPAL Wageningen University, Netherlands.

Besides its success as one of the oil palm plantation with the latest technology, Asian Agri is also highly committed to environmental conservation, where one of the Asian Agri plantation and palm oil mill located in Buatan under PT Inti Indosawit Subur, have earned the RSPO certification in 2010.

For more information, please contact:

Furiyanti

Tanoto Foundation

Phone: +62 21 392 3189

Fax: +62 21 392 3324

Fiona Mambu

Asian Agri

Phone: +62 21 2358 6611

Fax: + 62 21 2358 6620

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