The context changed dramatically in early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and, as an adaptive program, we pivoted our approach and adjusted our activities accordingly. One result of this was that the transition process we envisaged completing during the final six months of Phase I was slowed down but after adjusting the budget for contracting process, we had the full program team on board by the end of the first quarter of Phase II. A major focus for the six-month period was negotiating, preparing, finalising and disseminating workplans and key strategy documents.
Indonesia, like the rest of the world, has been profoundly impacted by the pandemic. Schools across the country have been closed throughout this six-month period, travel and normal economic activity has been severely limited, and government offices have been closed or partially closed throughout. While continuing to support Indonesia’s longer-term education policy reforms, INOVASI has focussed heavily on supporting the national and sub-national governments to respond to COVID-19, supporting learning from home, and preparing for school reopening. INOVASI offices have been closed, and the team has worked from home throughout this period, maintaining and building working relationships with Indonesian counterparts online.
The political context has also been dynamic and uncertain although key stakeholders and partners from Phase I remain active in the education sector and results of the December 2020 regional elections are now known. There were several changes in INOVASI’s key counterparts over the reporting period. This has meant re-socialising the program with new counterparts who are unaware of the program, and delays in implementation for some activities while new partners settled into their roles and identified their priorities. Largely, the changes in personnel will not negatively impact the program as most are known to members of the team, though some relationships will need to be strengthened over the coming period to enable the program to continue its role as a trusted partner, and critical friend.
During this reporting period, we consulted with our government partners to agree on program priorities and finalised an annual workplan that was endorsed in the first national steering committee meeting on 14 October, and approved by DFAT on 27 October 2020. The government is undertaking major reforms in the basic education sector. INOVASI is providing support to both MoEC and MoRA as they work on: a new national curriculum; assessment systems; teacher standards, recruitment, training, deployment and professional development; and new approaches to character education and religious moderation. MoEC and MoRA continue to work on these longer-term priorities, so they do not lose momentum when Indonesia begins to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, INOVASI has supported the Indonesian government’s response to COVID-19 by conducting studies on learning from home in different contexts, supporting development and implementation of an emergency curriculum, and advising on the impact of the pandemic. These priorities are reflected in our workplan and in the focus of activity over this six-month period.
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