$50 million for Indonesia's Islamic schools

Jakarta: Indonesia's madrasas (Islamic schools) have been given a financial boost after The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday it would lend the country $50 million to improve school facilities and equipment in the provinces of Central and East Java and South Sulawesi.

The money will help Islamic schools improve the qualifications of teachers, expand the schools textbooks and other learning materials, as well as provide opportunities for poor and female students by offering scholarship programmes.

"Ensuring a better madrasa education system and its continued sustainability is pivotal to achieving the government's key educational goal of universal nine-year basic education," said Wendy Duncan, an ADB specialist.

The schools, which are popular among girls and the rural poor, will also receive $21.4 million from the Indonesian government.