In Halmahera Utara District, North Maluku Province, the spirit to improve the quality of learning continues to grow. Through the KREASI Program, a training was held for 48 educators who are being prepared to become master teachers. Master teachers are teachers who not only teach but also train fellow teachers
This training goes beyond just teaching methods. Participants were guided to understand how to integrate literacy and numeracy into everyday subjects, even those that previously seemed unrelated.
“I’m an English teacher. I never imagined I could combine my subject with numeracy. But now I know how, and we’ve already prepared a plan to share this with other teachers,” said Rahman, one of the training participants.
The core issue is quite clear: many children in some primary schools still struggle with fluent reading. This condition has pushed teachers to be more sensitive and creative in embedding elements of literacy and numeracy in every lesson. The training has become a much-needed shared learning space.
On the other hand, Ella, a TK (kindergarten) teacher, also joined the same training. She has been teaching for four years and throughout that time has felt the need for guidance to make her classroom more engaging and meaningful.
From the KREASI training, Ella learned about age-appropriate cognitive and emotional stimulation. She began experimenting with new methods, such as inviting her students to observe the water cycle directly when it rained.
“The children were so excited. They asked to learn like that again,” she said with a smile. Through this training, teachers not only gained new knowledge but also the confidence to become agents of change in their schools. These small steps taken in classrooms in Halmahera Utara are part of a larger movement to strengthen the foundations of literacy and numeracy for children across Indonesia.
Writer: Wahana Visi Indonesia (KREASI implementing partner in Halmahera Utara District)