Highlights
Learning Centres
Things are looking up! While we have faced delays due to Covid-19, the situation in Bintan Regency is now much more encouraging, with restrictions on local travel and gatherings being eased and vaccination rates high! With this momentum behind us, the team have been busily preparing for the return to Learning Centre activities.
Throughout July we visited our partner communities and commenced promotion for new student registrations. We are very excited by the early uptake and overall interest, and are very much looking forward to meeting our new students and their parents!
Graduations
As the Indonesian school year came to an end in June, 26 of our students graduated from primary school, and from our Learning for Sustainability program.
To all of our recent graduates, we wish you all the best! We will be checking in with all of our graduates to provide ongoing support, and to assess the mid and long term impact of our program.
Local Teacher Training
One of the upsides of the Covid-19 pandemic is the availability of online learning and training opportunities for teachers in remote and under-resourced schools.
Throughout June and July, in partnership with the Maritime University of Raja Ali Haji (UMRAH), we held three online Local Teacher Training sessions with an average of 85 participant teachers from Bintan Regency. The training focussed on professional capacity building and career progression for teachers in the public school system.
We will be leveraging the uptake of online learning and training tools to deliver more Local Teacher Training sessions throughout the year and into the future, to reach teachers throughout the Riau Islands archipelago.
Capacity Building
Our team is very grateful for the ongoing English language training with education consultant Alison Schwartz. The skill progression and increased confidence within the team is fantastic!
Mary Van Der Heijden has been steadily guiding the program team as we reach the final stages of the Learning for Sustainability design, getting us ready to return to the Learning Centres. Keep an eye out for upcoming updates as we roll out our new learning units!
Covid-19 Vaccinations
All of our staff in Indonesia have had at least one vaccination, with many already fully vaccinated. Fortunately, Covid-19 case numbers in Bintan Regency are declining, and schools are looking to return in the very near future. This is a relief for our communities as children have been out of school for close to 18 months. We wish teachers and students a smooth return to the classroom.
Introducing Teacher Wahyu..!
Teacher Wahyu has been with The Island Foundation for three years - happy work anniversary, Wahyu!
Beginning as an Assistant Teacher, Wahyu is now a full time Teacher at our Malang Rapat and Panglong Learning Centres. Wahyu brings a love for music - he sings and plays guitar - and a passion for helping people. In his work, Wahyu enjoys leading students in interactive and experiential lessons that incorporate play, engaging with nature and connecting to place.
Amidst all of the disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic, Wahyu has grown and stepped up his game. He actively participates in trainings and meetings, is involved in the program redesign, and is energetic about preparations for launching the Learning for Sustainability program, including promoting the program and seeking out new students.
Throughout the redesign and preparation process, Wahyu says that he has learnt ways to improve communication and engagement with program stakeholders, has bettered his time management skills, refined his understanding of program development, and has unlocked his English language skills.
These learnings inspired Wahyu to apply for volunteering opportunities with Bakti Millenial - he has spent two weeks in Karimunjawa and Lombok, taking learning opportunities to underserved communities, and supporting village offices to establish development initiatives.
But he isn't done yet! This year, Wahyu hopes to become a more effective and impactful teacher and to grow engagement with key program stakeholders. He is excited for what the future brings and is eager to contribute to program growth and expansion.
All the best, Wahyu!