​The Kelly Elizabeth Stephens Memorial Scholarship​
About Kelly Elizabeth Stephens
In June 1993, at the age of 37, Kelly Elizabeth Stephens was fatally injured in an eruption of the volcano Anak Krakatau, some 24 miles of the west coast of Java, Indonesia. For nine years, Kelly trained teachers in
Indonesia; taught English in universities and government ministries; and planned, established, and supervised English-language centers throughout the country. She was born in Washington, D.C., and lived in Kenya, Tanzania, and New York before moving with her family to Massachusetts. She earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Tufts University, and a master's degree in the teaching of English from the University of Chicago.
Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, and a speaker of French and German, Kelly was a writer, an avid reader, and a lover of music and nature. She was more an adventurer than an athlete, someone forever searching for a chance to ski, climb mountains, scuba dive, and sail.

Kelly was devoted to excellence in her profession, to Indonesia, and to the people whose lives she touched. At her memorial service in Jakarta, the Director of the British Council said, "Kelly was one of those rare individuals who radiates warmth, gentleness, and kindness, She was loved and admired by all. Were it possible to add up all the people in Indonesia who now speak English due to Kelly's efforts, I think many of us would be staggered by the number. This is a significant loss for Indonesia."
About The Kelly Elizabeth Stephens Memorial Scholarship
Indonesia gives high priority to the improvement of education. In particular, teacher education is a cornerstone in furthering the country's
human resource development. In recognition of this fact and of Kelly's personal commitment to education, in 1995 the Stephens family, together
with additional contributors, established the Kelly Elizabeth Stephens Memorial Scholarship Fund at Boston University.
The fund is intended to celebrate Kelly's accomplishments, encourage similar achievements in others, and continue in a meaningful way her
dedication to the advancement of education in Indonesia. Each year, part or all of the income from the permanently endowed fund will be awarded to one (or more) deserving Indonesian graduate student(s) on the basis of both commitment to teaching and financial need.
About Boston University School of Education
The Boston University School of Education is at the forefront of teaching, learning, and research intended to improve schooling in America and abroad. Besides having a prominent national reputation, the School ol Education also attracts hundreds of international students. The School's programs of study include, among others, early childhood through secondary education, educational leadership, second language education, international educational development, and educational media and technology.

Boston University is the third largest independent institution of higher learning in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students in its 15 Schools and Colleges. The University is first among all American colleges and universities in international enrollment. Located in a city rich in cultural, historical, and intellectual attractions, the University is one of
the nation's preeminent teaching and research institutions.
About Education System in Indonesia
Indonesia’s school system is immense and diverse. It is the fourth largest education system in the world. The Indonesian education system is based on 6-3-3-4 school years. The first nine years, which consist of six years of primary and three years of junior secondary, are compulsory basic education. Afterwards, students are encouraged to continue their schooling into three years of secondary education and three or four years of higher education.
Indonesia has approximately 30,000,000 elementary students, 10,000,000 junior secondary students, 4,300,000 general senior secondary students, and 2,300,000 vocational senior secondary students. The students are served in 170,000 elementary schools, 35,000 junior high schools, 20,000 general senior secondary schools, and 6,000 vocational senior secondary schools. The number of available schools has helped Indonesia achieve a high net enrolment ratio (NER). In 2006, Indonesia’s NER for elementary schools is 94.30 %, for junior secondary schools is 62.06%, and for general and vocational senior secondary schools is 42.64%.
The goal of National Education System of Indonesia, as stated on the Ministry of National Education (MONE) website, is as follows:
To develop the capability, character, and civilization of the nation for enhancing its intellectual capacity, and is aimed at developing learners' potentials so that they become persons imbued with human values who are faithful and pious to one and only God; who possess morals and noble character; who are wealthy, knowledgeable, competent, creative, independent; and as citizens, are democratic and responsible.
Indonesian schools are functioning under the support of several ministries. Prior to the decentralization of Indonesian education system in 2003, public schools, secular private schools, and non-Islamic religious private schools are operating under MONE, while Islamic religious schools are operating under Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA).

Indonesia’s decentralization program is transforming the nature and level of public service delivery, including education. How decentralization applies to the education system has been defined in Education Law 20/2003. It basically transfers the principal responsibilities, authority, and resources for the delivery of education to lower levels of government, while some decision making power is transferred to schools themselves, except for Madrasahs (Islamic schools) which is still centrally managed under MORA. This condition demands educators to have greater capacity to innovate and and to establish educational reforms to improve teaching and learning in their local regions and schools.
