Project Citizen: Praktik Belajar Kewarganegaraan – Kami Bangsa Indonesia , a case of teacher training in area of Bangkalan, Madura Island, 6 - 8 Desember 2006
One participant reading the Project Citizen materials
Highlights
- Training for established teachers in an area of Bangkalan, Madura Island;
- Trained : 40 teachers from 38 state, private and Islamic schools;
- Cooperative funding – Ma'arif, an education wing of Nadhlatul Ulama Bangkalan paid for a portion of participants' meals, function room, and administration;
- First year potential 1600 students in Bangkala, Madura Island trained in Project Citizen; and
- Second year potential of more than 3200 trained.
Madura Island in East Java
Personal Perspective (Reni–Program Coordinator CCE Indonesia)
Madura Island is located adjacent to East Java. It can be easily reached by 2-hours-drive from Juanda Airport in Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, including half an hour crossing the Madura strait by a ferry. Besides producing salt, Madura island is famous for its locals food. We can find the local food of Madura – for example satay madura and soto madura – almost everywhere in Indonesia.
I found a big difference between Madura Island and Ternate city which I just visited a week before. Ternate looks so green and cool while Madura island is very dry and hot. That's why people of Madura prefer to look for jobs out of their region since the land is not productive enough to be cultivated succesfully.
The training was held with the cooperation of Ma'arif – the education wing of Nadhlatul Ulama in Bangkalan regency, Madura island. CCE Indonesia itself has cooperated with Ma'arif NU twice: May 2005 in Jakarta and August 2005 in Cirebon, West Java. Ma'arif NU has found that Project Citizen training is useful and effective not only for the schools under its wing but also for other schools in the Bangkalan regency.
Discussing the problem together during the training
The participants showed great curiosity and eagerness in getting new information and experience regarding the Project Citizen methodology by asking many questions the first day. The trainers had to instruct the participants to be patient, so that they would experience it from the first to the last day of the training by practicing themselves.
One participant is trying to get information for the project
The high unemployment rate in Madura was choosen as one of the problems discussed in the training. The participants – most of whom were local people from Madura – realized that the land in Madura was so dry and difficult to cultivate while job opportunities in other fields of work were so scarce.
Some participats presenting their project
The participants found fun and interesting experiences in trying to discuss their issues. They were so happy to be invited to the training so that they got so many information and knowledge not only from the trainers but also from other teachers. They also invited CCE Indonesia to visit their school, see the implementation of the program in the classrooms and also talk to the students to see the comments of the program.
The head of Ma'arif Bangkalan was giving presents for the best participants
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