VZCZCXRO2603
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2503/01 2531016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101016Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6166
INFO RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0769
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4292
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1142
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4184
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002503 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR U/S JEFFERY 
STATE FOR EAP/MTS, EB/IFD, INL BOULDIN 
DOJ FOR AAG BRUCE SWARTZ, OPDAT FOR 
LEHMANN/ALEXANDRE 
MCC FOR AMBASSADOR DANILOVICH AND MORFORD 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR AMBASSADOR PORTMAN 
TREASURY FOR IA - BAUKOL 
USAID FOR ANE/AA WARD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV ECON ID
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR VISITS KEY PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE AND 
MEETS SULTAN IN YOGYAKARTA 
 
 
JAKARTA 00002503  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary: On August 28-29, Ambassador Hume visited 
Yogyakarta, touring schools and meeting local leaders.  The 
Ambassador visited public and private schools that receive 
USAID assistance under President BushQs $157 million 
Education Initiative for Indonesia.  The Ambassador met 
with Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, Governor of Yogyakarta 
Province, who reiterated his intention to relinquish the 
governorship, although the GOI has yet to determine the 
transition process.  The Ambassador also met with local 
government officials in Klaten, home of the four USAID- 
supported schools, who expressed their appreciation for USG 
educational assistance.  End summary. 
 
Ambassador visits USAID-supported schools 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. Pesantren Sunan Pandanaran in Sleman, which has taken 
part in the USG-financed Islamic leadersQ exchange program, 
extended a warm reception to the Ambassador. Sunan 
Pandanaran is renowned for its strong program in memorizing 
the Koran. The Ambassador addressed the pesantrenQs 1,000 
students, ranging in age from kindergarten through senior 
high school. 
 
¶3. The Ambassador toured both public and private schools in 
Yogyakarta, learning about the differences in school 
curriculum and financing.  He visited teachers, students, 
and the parentsQ committee of Public Elementary School 
Barenglor 2, a school that has benefited from the USAID 
Decentralized Basic Education (DBE) program.  DBE is 
projected to reach at least 2,000 schools in 100 districts 
in 8 provinces by 2010.  The Ambassador also toured private 
schools receiving DBE assistance, including a religiously- 
affiliated elementary school and a state-run junior high 
madrasah, which also rely on financial and in-kind support 
from the community, parents, and a private foundation.  The 
Ambassador discussed DBE curriculum selection with a 
student, who expressed pleasure with her ability to 
determine her course selection and educational material. 
The Ambassador noted that changes in curriculum selection 
over the past ten years have made the process more open and 
student-driven. 
 
Schools recovering from earthquake damage 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. The Ambassador met with parentsQ committee members from 
DBE-supported, state-run Gondangan elementary school that 
was severely damaged during the 2006 earthquake.  Thirteen 
of the USAIDQs 14 DBE-supported schools required almost 
total reconstruction after the earthquake.  A consortium of 
oil companies including Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon 
Mobil, and BP funded the reconstruction of Gondangan 
elementary school. The DBE program funded a temporary 
bamboo shelter and relocated students during the 
reconstruction. The parentsQ committee noted the schoolQs 
infrastructure problems, stating that the school would not 
have been rebuilt so quickly without private resources. 
 
Local officials describe DBE as a model 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. On August 29, the Ambassador met with Klaten district- 
level officials, the Head of the District Education Office, 
a Regional Religious Affairs Official, and members of the 
provincial legislature. The officials thanked the 
Ambassador for U.S. Government support for local education, 
yet acknowledged that this assistance could not reach every 
school. The education official described the DBE education 
system as a model for all schools and stated that his 
 
JAKARTA 00002503  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
challenge was to recreate the Qactive learningQ approach in 
DBE schools throughout the province. 
 
Sultan to leave politics, transition undetermined 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6. The Ambassador met with Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who 
also serves as Governor of Yogyakarta Province. The Sultan 
announced in April that he would retire in 2008 as Governor 
of Yogyakarta province.  He told the Ambassador that he 
intended to step down from the governorship at the end of 
his term, which he stated would occur in two years. The 
SultanQs announced departure from political office has 
accelerated efforts to identify a new gubernatorial 
transition process. The GOI is considering three different 
bills outlining ways to handle elections and the SultanQs 
future management role in the province are currently being 
discussed by the GOI. It is unclear whether the Yudhoyono 
administration will endorse any of these bills before the 
Sultan departs. The Sultan stated that the governorship and 
the role of the Sultan should be separated, which would be 
a historic change. The Sultan noted the most important 
criteria in determining a gubernatorial candidateQs 
suitably was his commitment to anti-corruption reform. 
 
Reform in process in Yogya 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. Comment: The DBE program creates classrooms that foster 
creativity and inspire independent thinking and curiosity 
in students. The DBE program is addressing GOI reform 
priorities and is already achieving program objectives. 
Politically, the SultanQs upcoming departure from the 
governorship potentially opens a political vacuum, but also 
demonstrates further Indonesian progress in democratic 
reform. 
 
AmbassadorQs Comment 
-------------------- 
¶8. President BushQs Education Initiative is having a 
profound impact on schooling here, and it is 
enthusiastically supported by parents, students and 
teachers. From every aspect this program is a winner. 
 
End comment. 
 
HUME