The Efforts Invested by Tanoto Foundation in Capacity Building in Rural Indonesia

Due to the poor results recorded by students in areas of rural Indonesia, who are unable to continue their education past high school, the Tanoto Foundation has increased its efforts of providing young adults with better opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge in order to pass university exams more efficiently.

The State of Indonesia’s Education

Compared to neighboring countries like Malaysia, the state of Indonesia’s rural education is quite poor. In 2014, reports have shown that only 28% of students aged 19-23 have continued their education by enrolling into a university, a number that has brought concern to parents, government institutions, as well as organizations like the Tanoto Foundation, which is actively involved in numerous projects designed for the improvement of local education in the country.

One of the main reasons why students in rural areas are unable to complete their education is that they cannot compete with those living in urban areas, who are far better equipped to attend and pass their exams successfully.

Capacity Building Programs for Students

To tip the scales, the Tanoto Foundation has organized several capacity building activities to help students comply with the requirements set forth by the universities they plan on attending.

During the months of May and June 2015, the Tanoto Foundation organized a try-out in Medan, inviting students from general and vocational high schools who are also recipients of Tanoto scholarships to attend and use the try-outs to prepare for furthering their education.

Aside from the try-outs themselves, tutors were provided up to three times a week to help the students improve their knowledge and general grasp of the materials included. With their help and along with additional motivational speeches and tips for getting the best results at their university exams, the students were able to sail through their exams with ease.

Capacity building has long been one of the main tools used by the Tanoto Foundation to improve education in Indonesia, the result being that more than 5,200 students across the country have benefited from Tanoto scholarships already.