VZCZCXRO6172
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2545/01 2560219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130219Z SEP 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6215
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 0781
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4303
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1154
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4188
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002545 
 
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 00002545  001.8 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 Bush's $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 leaders' 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 
pesantren's 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 parents' 
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 parents' committee members from 
DBE-supported, state-run Gondangan elementary school that was 
severely damaged during the 2006 earthquake.  Thirteen of the 
USAID's 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 parents' committee noted the school's 
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 challenge was to recreate the 'active learning' 
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 
 
JAKARTA 00002545  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
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 Sultan's 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 Sultan's 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 candidate's 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 Sultan's 
upcoming departure from the governorship potentially opens a 
political vacuum, but also demonstrates further Indonesian progress 
in democratic reform.? 
 
 
Ambassador's Comment 
-------------------- 
¶8. President Bush's 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