The Program of KREASI by Save the Children Indonesia, held a coordination meeting with the Co-Chairs of Local Education Group (LEG)—the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag)—alongside seven Local Implementing Partners (LIP) on Friday, 26 September 2025, in Jakarta.
This forum served as a space for reflection to review what has been working well and to discuss areas that still need improvement.
The discussion was highly interactive and marked by a strong spirit of collaboration among all stakeholders, with a shared commitment to ensuring that KREASI is not just a short-term intervention but a program that delivers lasting, sustainable impact for children in Indonesia.
Head of the Center for Education Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment (BSKAP) at Kemendikdasmen, Professor Toni Toharudin, expressed appreciation for the initiative. He emphasized that forums like this are essential to strengthen coordination and ensure the continuity of the program.
“It’s important to ensure that local partners can continue the initiative even when donor support ends or changes. If there are things that need further discussion, let’s address them together,” said Professor Toni Toharudin.
Director General of Islamic Education at Kemenag, Professor Amien Suyitno, highlighted that a strong literacy and numeracy ecosystem cannot function without the full involvement of all stakeholders—especially teachers.
“The ecosystem is essential, and teachers play the central role in strengthening literacy and numeracy so it can contribute to education policy. We also need to make sure that the existing schemes are still relevant. If not, they must be adjusted to ensure meaningful impact. KREASI’s target areas have shown progress, so it’s important to expand and map out those results,” he explained.
Beyond acknowledging the program’s progress, the forum also became a moment to reaffirm Save the Children’s long-term role in Indonesia. Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Indonesia, Dessy Kurwiany Ukar, shared the organization’s transformation.
“This meeting follows our ongoing coordination with Kemendikdasmen. Next year, Save the Children marks 50 years in Indonesia, which also coincides with our transformation into a Member Office—giving us greater independence to take strategic action based on the needs and best interests of children in Indonesia. Mutual trust and support are the keys to successful programming.”
Chief of Party for KREASI, Alifah Lestari, reiterated that education is a large, complex issue that cannot be addressed alone. KREASI serves as a collaborative platform that brings together multiple stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of teachers, school leaders, and the broader regional education ecosystem.
“Through KREASI, we aim to build the capacity of teachers and principals so that improvements in literacy and numeracy truly translate into better learning for children,” said Alifah Lestari.
The forum also addressed key field-level insights, including the need for better alignment with government planning processes, managing teacher workload more wisely, and ensuring transparency in program implementation. Local partners also emphasized the importance of documenting good practices so they can be adapted and replicated in other areas.
The meeting reinforced the critical role of cross-sectoral collaboration. National and local governments, civil society organizations, and local implementing partners agreed that KREASI is more than a program—it is a collaborative platform. Through KREASI, regional education ecosystems can be strengthened, good practices can be scaled up, and sustainability strategies can be developed to ensure that the program’s results do not fade once implementation ends.
To conclude, all participants reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining open lines of communication and collaboration. Through this approach, KREASI is expected to leave behind a meaningful legacy: improved education quality that is not only reflected in documents or reports, but truly felt by children, teachers, schools, and communities.
The meeting was attended by leadership from seven Local Implementing Partners of the KREASI: Article 33 Indonesia, Ikatan Guru Indonesia (IGI), Yayasan Guru Belajar, LP Maarif NU, Majelis Dikdasmen dan PNF PP Muhammadiyah, Wahana Visi Indonesia, and Stimulant Institute.
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Writer: Andika Ramadhan
Photo: Abisola Arfa/KREASI/Save the Children