East Java, July 17, 2006. PT. H.M. Sampoerna has sponsored 4 state high Schools in East Java for adoption of the SQIP (School Quality Improvement Program). These four state schools are SMAN 10 in Malang Municipality, SMAN 1 Pandaan in Pasuruan Regency, and 2 state high schools in Surabaya. The presence of SQIP East Java was initiated with the signing of an MOU in each of the cities/regencies. The Surabaya MOU was signed by Elan Merdy, Chief Operating Officer of Sampoerna Foundation and the Mayor of Surabaya, Drs. Bambang Dwi Hartono, MPd. In Malang, the signing was done by Elan and Malang Mayor, Drs. Peni Suparto, M.Ap, and for Pasuruan the signing was done by Elan and Regent of Pasuruan, H. Jusbakir Aldjufri, SH. MM., H.

Elan, during the signing in Surabaya, expressed his appreciation of PT. HM Sampoerna’s commitment to education. “This is truly an extraordinary thing, that   PT.H.M. Sampoerna has been instrumental in bringing the SQIP program to 4 schools in East Java. Sampoerna Foundation is very grateful to PT. H.M Sampoerna,” said Elan.

The schools selected into the SQIP are middle ranked schools from lists issued by the various local education agencies. “We deliberately selected middle ranked schools so that we, as well as the public, can clearly see the improvement of the quality of the schools once the program has been implemented. Besides that, we hope in the next three years, these selected high schools will outshine the currently top schools in those areas,” Elan explained.

There were five other criteria, besides being a middle ranked school, used in the selection of the participating schools; these were: a specific background/profile of headmaster, which was the main consideration; teacher competence; adequate educational facilities at the schools; commitment of the local administration, and the management of the school.

The three-year SQIP process will provide guidance to the selected schools in the form of management assistance, including the standardization of curriculum, the running of a library to support the students’ studies, and extracurricular activities. 

“We hope, within the over three years of the implementation of SQIP in Surabaya and Malang, as educational centers in East Java, and in Pasuruan Regency, as the winner of the 2006 autonomy award in the education sector, that this program can be used as a model by other schools throughout East Java. Hopefully, eventually the approximately 1,973 high schools and trade schools throughout East Java will become exemplary schools,” Elan added.

Since 2001, Sampoerna Foundation has provided scholarships to more than  200 high school students in East Java. With the SQIP, it is expected that more and more high schools students in Surabaya, Malang, and Pasuruan will gain access to education. 

If viewed in the light of that fact that the dropout rate in East Java reaches 17,000 per year, the 200 scholarships provided by Sampoerna Foundation does not seem anywhere near adequate. Because of that, access to education much be expanded until every high school age student in East Java can get a quality education.

After the four high schools in East Java, PT.H.M. Sampoerna plans to take the SQIP program to Yogyakarta. In the long-term, this program will be applied in 33 provinces in Indonesia within the next five years. At this time the SQIP has been implemented in  6 regions, Depok (West Java), Sekayu (South Sumatra), Balik Papan (East Kalimantan), Bukit Tinggi (West Sumatra), Bandung (West Java), dan Denpasar (Bali).