Artículo 1 Registro calificado Para ofrecer y desarrollar un programa académico de educación superior, en el domicilio de una institución de educación
3. ENFOQUE EN EVALUACIÓN Y EVALUACIONES DE PROGRAMA CURRICULARES
3.1 Concepciones sobre la evaluación
The ‘block grant’ schemes were created by the DVSE to financially support the implementation of policies and programs in a variety of forms:
- Competitive
These ‘block grants’ were originally a central government strategy to give direct assistance to poor schools, following the economic crisis of 1997240. The distribution of the block grants focused on particular poor schools or even families. The current DVSE block grants are designed to support selected schools on a competitive basis. This block grant program comes in a grant that is packaged in the form of cash or budget241 and certain conditions have to be met by schools. Thus, it differs from the initial programs existing before regional autonomy, in which the schools (SMKs) functioned merely as the recipient, fiscally. The DVSE used to send equipment, tools and other school necessities to the schools directly. In order to ensure the success of this new grants scheme, the DVSE informs the EOP in the provinces, the EOD
236 Dikmenjur (2004) and Dikmenjuur (2005) “DVSE ” 237
Head of the DVSE Accreditation Section, interviewed 18 January 2005. 238 Head of the DVSE Accreditation Section, interviewed 18 January 2005. 239 Head of the DVSE Accreditation Section, interviewed 18 January 2005.
240 Haryadi, Yadi (2001a), “Targeting and Rapid Assessment for Social Programs”, Indonesia: National Development Planning Agency
241
Dikmenjur (2004), “DVSE Program Outline” (original title: “Garis-Garis Besar Program Pendidikan Menengah Kejuruan Tahun 2004”) and Dikmenjur (2005), DVSE
in districts and cities and other local institutions via the DVSE official website. Monitoring and evaluation teams have also been established in each district and city to assist in supervising with implementation, to solve problems and make recommendations. The DVSE also tried to maintain cooperation with the EOP, EOD and other local institutions in the districts or cities, in order to foster mutual understanding, strengthen the commitment of local governments to the VSE sector and encourage local governments to come up with their share of the VSE budget in their own districts242.
It is pointed out that the block grants are not exclusively for vocational secondary education or SMK but are designed for most school types and levels. There was some disquiet amongst the DVSE officials interviewed for this research. The Head of the DVSE Accreditation Section complained that “the program is not focused”243. Similarly, the Head of the DVSE Facilities Subdivision stressed that “it is too hard for the regions to understand what the central office wants and to interpret the message behind the block grants”244. The Head of the Planning Subdivision argued that the block grants should be considered as being the central government’s share of funding for schools. However, local officials have been interpreting these grants as the main source of funding and resources for the local SMK. This was not the DVSE’s intention245
. However, the block grants scheme will remain a key DVSE’ strategy to ensure its policies and programs are implemented in schools, regional autonomy not withstanding. This might not have been the original intention of DVSE officials or they may not have been initially aware of the impact on the schools. This will be discussed further.
- Incentive Scheme
The block grants, as described by the Head of the DVSE Curriculum Subdivision, function as an incentive to encourage the local governments and the schools to support VSE programs in the spirit of the Regional Autonomy Law246. Most of DVSE interviewees believed that, in this transition stage of regional autonomy, local governments have not yet responded to their new roles, especially with regard to the development of VSE. The Head of the Accreditation Subdivision, noted that the new local governments have not yet understood their new roles and functions and, therefore, “now, educational development in the regions has become stuck”247
. In addition, he observes that “district and city heads are less concerned with the
242 Dikmenjur (2004) and Dikmenjur (2005).
243 Head of the DVSE Accreditation Section, interviewed 18 January 2005 244 Head of the DVSE Facilities Subdivision, interviewed 12 January 2005 245 Head of the DVSE Planning Subdivision, interviewed 14 January 2005 246
Head of the DVSE Curriculum Subdivision, interviewed 18 January 2005 247 Head of the DVSE Accreditation Subdivision, interviewed 14 January 2005
development of education as they don’t see how it will improve local revenue. They prefer to give priority to programs that will be immediately appreciated by their constituents248”. These opinions are also supported by some officials in the districts and cities, especially those from BAPPEDA249 offices, such as in Tangerang District and Tangerang City, Bekasi District and Bekasi City and Bangka District and Pangkalpinang City.250 The Head of BAPPEDA, Tangerang city argues that “the new local government policy is primarily focused on improving the existing infrastructure”251
. The block grants given by the DVSE, with conditions attached, most likely do not attract the enthusiasm and intentions of local governments with regard to developing the VSE.
The views of the central office staff may be correct and, in fact, incentive programs may be really needed, in order to draw local government attention to the needs of the VSE sector. Yet, in the context of ‘decentralization’, it could be argued that this is just a tactic of the central government to keep on dictating to the regions, via tied funding of centrally-developed programs.
- Developmental
The DVSE programs are intended to be developmental in nature. The aims are to develop or increase aspects of education in accordance with central government policy252, such as improved access to education, improved educational quality and, improved management. Therefore, the DVSE has opened up its ‘operational’ programs to local governments. One reason for local governments not focusing on the long-term development of the VSE sector might be that local governments have not yet shown themselves capable of handling all of the new responsibilities devolved to them from Jakarta. These new responsibilities include running ‘operational’ programs, which are impeded by the weaknesses of human resources and budget limitations, as mentioned by most of the interviewees from the regions, particularly from BAPPEDA and the DPRD253. However, failing to focus on VSE
248 Head of the DVSE Accreditation Subdivision, interviewed 14 January 2005 249
BAPPEDA is the Local Planning Board, located in each district or city, assigned to coordinate the local institutions’ planning, including that of the EOD.
250 Heads of the Local Education Offices (EOD) of: Tangerang City, interviewed 7 February 2005; Tangerang District, 5 March 2005; Bekasi City, 14 April 2005; Bekasi District, 5 May 2005; Pangkalpinang City, 7 June 2005; Bangka District, 20 July 2005
251 Head of the Local Education Office (EOD) Tangerang City, interviewed 7 February 2005
252 The current policy of the Central Education Office (DVSE) is to improve the “the access, quality, relevancy and the efficiency of the educational management”, as stated in Dikmenjur (2004), DVSE Program Outline” and also in Dikmenjur, 2005.
253
DPRD is the Local People’s Representative Assembly, located in districts and cities, which has the discretionary rights with regard to local government budget, as stated in Law 22/1999. See also
development could be argued to contradict the purpose of regional autonomy, that is, that the local governments are required to assume full responsibility for managing the education sector254.
- Grant limitations
The block grants are limited, in that they will not be automatically distributed to the SMK. The central office programs target most types of schools, including primary and secondary, private and state, as well as tertiary education. There are conditions attached to obtaining a block grant, which include readiness of existing school resources, approval from the Local Education Office (EOD); and (sometimes) the commitment of the local government to provide counterpart funding from their own local budget. Although some interviewees in the schools complained that the procedures to obtain the block grants are complicated, it appears they are very pleased with the fact that at least such funding support is available to allow them to implement programs255. In addition, most of the schools in this research have experienced success in obtaining block grants from the central government (DVSE) or from the provincial government (EOP) to fund their activities.
- Self-Implementation
As the DVSE block grants are in the form of cash, recipients have to determine themselves how it is spent. This method might be regarded as fundamental concept of decentralization and in keeping with the dynamic change occurring in the regions. Previously, before regional autonomy, programs were managed centrally, by the DVSE. As the Head of the DVSE Curriculum Subdivision states: “it has been the practice in the past that school needs were obtained from the DVSE, with schools acting just as recipients”256. Officials in the central office managed out all procurement processes, including for building construction, equipment, furniture, tools and other school facilities. The Head of the DVSE Facilities Subdivision agrees that all programs were managed by the DVSE, from the early New Order Era (1966), centrally, and distributed directly to the schools, in the form of packages of goods,
Rasyid (2003), p.67. BAPPEDA (Local Planning Board) is a local government institution assigned to maintain local planning.
254
The Law 22/1999 on Regional Autonomy: tasks and responsibilities of the regional governments. PP 84/2000 is the government decision to support the Regional Autonomy Law with regard to the roles and the functions of local institutions, including the Local Education Office (EOD) (UU 22/1999 and PP 84/2000)
255 Principal of SMK4 Tangerang City, interviewed 8 February 2005; Principal of SMK1 Bekasi City, interviewed 4 April 2005; Principal of SMK2 Bangka District, interviewed 18 July 2005
supplies or services257. Currently, the central office’s assistance was packaged in a ‘block grant’, in the form of funding or cash is transferred directly to the schools for them to manage. Schools are now allowed to – and, in fact, expected to - apply for the block grants by themselves and, as a consequence, appear very active, not only with maintaining ‘routine’ educational operations (as per their main function), but with also carrying out a number of ‘developmental’ activities like planning, procuring and implementing. As evident in the interviewees at the school level, most teachers and staff find themselves involved in implementing developmental programs for which DVSE funding has been obtained, such as ICT, school mapping, re-engineering, computer labs, and MTU258.