Rationale and Issues of the Project for Development of Science and Mathematics Teaching for Primary and Secondary Education in the Republic of Indonesia

Japanese government started a Technical Cooperation for Development of Science and Mathematics Teaching for Primary and Secondary Education in Indonesia in response to requirement of Indonesian government. It is a five-years project. The cooperation has been executed since October 1998 in a frame of project-type technical cooperation implemented by JICA with assistance of Ministry of Education of Japan. Aim of the project is to support pre-service and in-service teacher training in three teachers' colleges located in western, middle and eastern parts of Java island, that is, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Malang teachers' college respectively, among ten teachers' colleges in Indonesia in the fields of science and mathematics teaching for primary and secondary levels. The plan is also combined with a grant aid from Japanese government, and construction of new building for faculty of science and mathematics education in Bandung teachers' college as well as supply of equipments for science and mathematics for the three sites. It is the first cooperation between Japan and Indonesia to support pre- and in-service education in teachers' colleges for expansion of science and mathematics education in mainly secondary school-education level. It is clarified in this paper through the planning of the project that what system of pre-service as well as in-service teacher training as a whole should be in science and mathematics education. Present status of science and mathematics education in Indonesia in primary and secondary levels is briefly introduced through introduction of background of requirement, status of teachers' colleges and issues discussed by Japanese and Indonesian persons concerned. Outlines of arms, characteristics and contents of activities on the project are stated. Rationale concerning to the project is given here on in-service teacher training, primary and secondary education, natural science as well as mathematics and science education, scope on donation of equipments, response to new direction of educational reform in the world, form of structure and management of the cooperation. Future problems are also presented on communication, dispatch of experts, training in Japan, and structure of mathematics and science education. The status of the project about 10 months after it has been started is briefly reported