Project Description
Location: Asologaima
Year: 2008
Education for the children
Muliama Elementary School in Asologaima (Baliem Valley) is a bit of an odd one. It maintains the rule of “education is there for the students and not the other way round”. A logical thing, one might say, but not for Papua. Education in Papua is plagued by absentee teachers, underinvestment and an Indonesia-centered curriculum with scant regard paid to local culture. Here, the interests of the children are the guiding principle. For example: children are taught in their local native language for the first couple of years instead of Indonesian.
Respect local traditions
Furthermore, emphasis is being put on respect for their local traditions, the surrounding nature and fellow human beings. The reason behind this is that pupils are more motivated and do not drop out. Dropping out is an undesirable but understandable thing when you get educated in a totally unfamiliar curriculum by sparsely attending non-Papuan teachers lacking motivation.
Quality based approach
The Principal, Daniel Tena Bolo, strictly selects teachers on quality and motivation. The teachers originate from the surrounding countryside. The grand scheme of the Principal consists of expanding the school into a regional educational centre. The government does not allocate financial resources to it. For reasons of its innovation, cultural awareness and quality based approach Hapin has subsidised the staff and teachers for one year as a start-up incentive.
