Sampoerna Foundation Teacher Institute (SFTI) in collaboration with government education offices in Bangka-Belitung, Bali, and DKI Jakarta, and the School of Education at the Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth launched the Master Teacher Program. The premise of this program is to develop eighteen master teachers and six master school leaders who, after the program, will share their knowledge with a greater number of teachers creating a cascading effect, allowing more teachers to be better equipped in educating their students.

The first phase of the Master Teacher Program commenced on 5 November. The opening ceremony was attended by SFTI Director Kenneth Cock, Kepala Sub Dinas Tenaga Pendidikan Dasar Bpk. Virgana, facilitators from ECU, SFTI staff, and members of the media. Kenneth Cock, Bpk. Virgana, and Dr. Graeme Lock, representing ECU, delivered speeches to commemorate the event.

The Master Teacher Program involved six leaders and eighteen teachers from six schools in three districts (provinces); Bangka-Belitung (SMAN 1 Pangkal Pinang and SMAN 1 Pemali), Bali (SMP Tunas Daud and SMAN 4), and DKI Jakarta (SMAN 71 and SMPN 115). The facilitators consisted of experienced teaching professionals who lecture at ECU; Dr. Graeme Lock, Dr. Maria Northcote, and Lynette Moss.

This program is designed to be carried out in four phases. Phase 2 is planned to commence in early February 2008 in which each of the three lecturers from ECU will visit the schools in one of the three provinces to follow up as well as to observe the progress made.