A program providing training and scholarships to Indonesian professionals is about to be expanded by the Obama Administration, which hopes to increase the “number of Indonesian future leaders holding advanced degrees (Masters) from U.S. and in-country institutions of higher education.”
According to a Statement of Work (SOW) posted today to the FedBizOpps database, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking contractors capable of carrying out Phase II of the “Program to Extend Scholarships and Training to Achieve Sustainable Impacts," or PRESTASI. (Solicitation #SOL-497-12-000004).
The selected vendor will continue to assist existing Phase I participants while identifying and placing new candidates for the extended program—which will cost an additional $16-$20 million.
It should be noted that this project represents but a fraction of overall U.S. assistance to Indonesia; on the other hand, this ongoing endeavor remains indicative of the massive “investments” of U.S. taxpayer funds into the education of Indonesia citizens that began under Bush and has continued with the current White House.
As U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor reported nearly a year ago, the current administration agreed to pour an additional $90 million into public as well as Islamic schools via a project known as Prioritizing Reform, Innovation and Opportunities for Reaching Indonesia’s Teachers, Administrators, and Students, or PRIORITAS (Monitor, May 31, 2011). This followed an educational assistance program valued at about $167 million under Bush.
Similarly, PRESTASI is separate from yet another USAID/Indonesia unveiled just last month. In that instance, USAID's Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) program devoted yet another $20 million over the next five years "to support Indonesia’s efforts to develop world-class higher education institutions and prepare students to be successful leaders."
Percentage-wise, specific expenditures for PRESTASI Phase II will be broken down in the following manner, the document says:
- Monitoring and Placement of Current Students in Program: 12%
- Long Term Advanced Graduate degrees in the US: 68%
- Short-term non-degree training opportunities: 10%
While the overarching goal of PRESTASI Phase II program is “to develop individuals and entities that are better equipped to provide leadership in the public and private sector," USAID wishes to equip those people and organizations so that they may return to their country to:
a. implement and support policies important to Indonesia’s development;
b. exercise equity, accountability and transparency in managing public and private sector resources;
c. provide better delivery of public services;
d. participate more effectively in and contribute more broadly to the country’s economic and social development;
It remains unclear how much USAID initially spent during Phase I; although a USAID FY 2011 “Service Contracts” spreadsheet lists a “subobligated amount” of $2.2 million for PRESTASI, a search of FedBizOpps produced zero results for the program, aside from Phase II SOW released and located today.
The only way that this could be better is if Michelle Obama took "60 of her closest friends" (who has 60 close friends?) to Indonesia for a vacation like she did in Spain while U.S. citizens were still losing their homes (along with their children and living in their vehicles at 4.60 a gallon).
Posted by: William Hinkley | 04/25/2012 at 01:37 AM
Mr. Smith:
I sincerely respect your opinion on the matter, as I am equally frustrated -- despite such common reactions from readers about these articles, the federal government continues with its "business as usual" approach. When congressional committees hold hearing on funding such aid agencies, there almost never is a discussion about whether we as a nation should be engaging in this wide variety of foreign aid and military programs; rather, it's "Should we give the agency what the White House proposes?" or, at the rarest best, they debate whether to chop their budgets by a few million here and there. As a former State Dept. employee once told me, after being reprimanded for questioning excessive expenditures his boss responded, "It's not REAL money; it's TAXPAYER money."
Posted by: Steve Peacock | 04/12/2012 at 09:18 AM
We should become Nationalists and not give ANY money to ANY country. Don't give me the excuse it's because of public relations either. Most countries don't give a rats a-- about us. Let them take care of themselves and that includes going to war to "help" other countries. Countries are laughing at us for spending many billions on foreign wars we have no reason to be involved in. We have already spent almost a trillion dollars in the mideast on war, and the soldiers of those countries by now should be able to take over from here. Cheney being an ex CEO of Halliburton made sure Halliburton got the UNBIDDED contract in Iraq for 7 billion dollars. Do you people think we are that stupid not to know that? Of course the people that make money off of wars are always drooling at the mouth when a war starts. Things are going to change for the better in this country. Just watch. And make sure the elitists are watching their backs. They'll be the first ones to go. Trust me on that!
Posted by: Bob Smith | 04/12/2012 at 12:16 AM
Margaret, Your story is utterly not true.
The people who live there call it Deutschland, not Germania, this is not possible to name their country after this person.
Posted by: Trent | 04/07/2012 at 04:01 AM
As both an English teacher and publisher of this blog, I would definitely be interested in reading your satirical take on the issue. Take it and run!
Posted by: Steve Peacock | 04/04/2012 at 03:31 PM
Haha! I've found my topic for my English class' satirical essay!
Posted by: Sebastian Burnham | 04/04/2012 at 03:11 PM
Ha! What a bunch of twisted thoughts. USAid.gov has been around for 50 years and funds programs worldwide. Are you just as annoyed about Israel receiving $3.2 billion a year for being our "friend"?
Posted by: Johnson | 03/27/2012 at 06:00 PM
I believe it would be very wise of our so called president of our UNITED STATES to help the people living here,we can't seem to help our own people but you sure like to go outside of the USA to help other people and the money you are sending to other countries ! Good Lord what is happening to our USA.It isen't evem real MONEY you are sending it's just fake printed money which has put the USA so deep in debt we will probably never get it pd. back! I pray GOD will bless AMERICA. we need a President that cares for America and cares for the Citizens that are here legially.
Posted by: Wilma Smith | 03/27/2012 at 03:19 PM
Although I reported on this primarily because more U.S. citizens simply need to know about these expenditures, I happen to be one such American with $70,000 in student-loan grad-school debt -- and I still have several credits to go for my M.A., which would require an additional $10,000 investment to complete. I cannot find steady work as a teacher, cannot yet afford to pay my student loans, and yet my tax dollars will help the Indonesian people get THEIR master's degrees? This is insanity.
Posted by: Steve Peacock | 03/01/2012 at 01:56 PM
All empires have traditionally brought in the upper class kids from the colonies to train in the empire's way, and to back to be the future sock puppets for the empire in their own country.
Sounds like we are carrying on the tradition that goes back to at least the Roman times, when the upper class kids from the conquered European tribes were brought to Rome to learn to be the Roman arm in their native country. Germanicus was one of the exceptions - when he returned home, he deliberately lead the Roman army into a trap, and saved his people from Roman conquest, which is why Germany was named after him, many centuries later.
Posted by: Margaret Bartley | 03/01/2012 at 04:25 AM
This is just wonderful. American tax dollars paying for foreign students Master degree education while American born students can go for years with no private student loan relief after obtaining their Master degree.
Talk about prejudice and class division. November elections cannot come too soon.
Posted by: Patriot | 02/28/2012 at 06:58 PM