Through the Afghan Children Read program (one of USAID’s programs), the study visit aimed to highlight the experiences, challenges, and successes of early grade literacy programs in Indonesia, including the program under INOVASI.
On 2 and 3 February 2020, the delegates visited Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to observe the implementation of INOVASI’s literacy program in several schools in the East Sumba regency and to note the positive changes that have occured.
The delegates who participated in the study visit were representatives for curriculum development and district/city and provincial education offices led by Arian Abdul Wassay, General Director of Planning and Evaluation at the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan. A representative from the Afghan Child Read program also took part in the visit.
The purpose of the study visit was to observe the efforts made to improve literacy skills at the basic education level in Indonesia—including through the INOVASI program. The Afghan delegation visited two INOVASI direct partner schools and one replicate school that is funded by the regional budget (APBD). The delegates came away with interesting findings related to classroom learning and policies.
The delegation also found that lesson planning and implementation was excellent. While there, Shafiullhaq Rahimi, Deputy Chief of Party for the Afghan Children Read program, noted, “I am very impressed with the way teachers deliver the lessons in class, how they use learning media, and how the teacher communicates, which is very friendly and polite. Everything is amazing! In addition, how the teachers conducted modeled reading when we visited the library was very different from what I have seen in my country. The teacher’s expression while reading truly captured the reading content.”
Furthermore, Arian stated that his party would also try to provide funding schemes, such as the School Operational Assistance Funds (Bantuan Operasional Sekolah, or BOS), for schools in Afghanistan.