Abstract
The Indonesia Australia Technical and Vocational Education Project, Part A (IATVEP:A), was implemented as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Indonesia and Australia. The project formally began in 1990. A formal commitment exists to financially support the project for five years. During this time it is anticipated that Indonesia will commit approximately A$20.5 million and Australia approximately A$18 million. Australian funding is supplied via the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB). Project Management is carried out by the Northern Territory Department of Education on behalf of AIDAB.The project is designed to facilitate the upgrading of technical and vocational education throughout five eastern Indonesian provinces. Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), the closest Indonesian province to Australia, is one of the provinces where the project is being implemented. Within NTT, four technical and vocational schools were initially chosen to initiate the upgrading process, via school-integrated development (SID). The four schools will then form a resource school cluster (RSC) to outreach developmental programs to target schools in the province. Project implementation and "educational change" as defined by "school-integrated development" is determined by activities outlined in the project implementation document (PID), and are characterised by eight development tasks which outline inputs and anticipated outcomes associated with school and provincial development.
This thesis examines the perceived effectiveness of project implementation for activities associated with the province of NTT during the first fifteen months of the project. All activities including: pre-establishment, establishment, and implementation programs, are identified and evaluated relative to NTT stakeholders. Evaluation is by means of questionnaires given to Kantor Wilayah (Kanwil - Provincial Office) staff, principals, teachers and students. Impressions of the NTT long-term adviser managing project implementation are also recorded and interpreted in the context of comments and opinions given by stakeholders. In addition to project implementation, the questionnaires also examine the perceived priorities for future implementation of project activities relative to the PID and NTT.
Provincial personnel possess quite distinct perceptions relative to their understanding of project goals and global outcomes associated with project implementation. Kanwil staff demonstrate quite an intimate knowledge of project implementation activities and outcomes. School principals possess similar understandings, although quite obvious variations exist amongst some principals. These variations between principals appears to reflect on the professional competence of those principals experiencing difficulties, rather than being the result of project effectiveness. Teachers' understanding is a function of their direct involvement in project activities and the communication of project goals and activities within their own school. Students possess similar impressions as their teachers. It is quite obvious that a greater effort must be made to communicate with, and involve teachers and students directly in project implementation so that school administrative structures do not filter out "chalk-face" or " bottom-up" participation and outcomes . Management, communication and administrative strategies, also have to be implemented to address school weaknesses associated with poor school coordination and integrated development. This will entail developing detailed management programs to assist the weaker principals, it may also involve changing personnel.
Provincial personnel believe that the future directions outlined in the PID are in general consistent with local priorities. Once again, perceptions across the stakeholders vary according to their own priorities. It is obvious that both the students and teachers place a greater emphasis on future activities directly associated with classroom activities. In contrast, the Kanwil staff place a greater emphasis on activities which have the potential to influence provincial or national educational goals. The school principals are at times clearly in a dilemma, for they obviously want to encourage activities which will directly influence and develop their own school. However, they are obviously cognisant of the need to implement activities which have a provincial emphasis but may remove resources away from their school.
As a result of this research, a number of recommendations have been developed, which, if implemented, would have the ability to influence future project implementation at both a provincial and national level. Other recommendations have also been made which are not IATVEP: A-specific and may assist with the design, development, management and implementation of international educational projects in the future.
| Date of Award | 1993 |
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| Original language | English |