The KREASI Save the Children conducted a series of school visits and coordination workshops with local governments in eight districts across four KREASI program intervention provinces. The activities aimed to monitor the implementation of the program’s first year and strengthen collaboration with local stakeholders in preparation for the second year of KREASI implementation.
Sumatera Utara
The visiting team consisted of KREASI Interim Head of Program Laurel Maclaren; KREASI Regional Manager Sumatra Man Magilan; and KREASI Advocacy and Campaign Support Henry Gabriel.
Monitoring activities were conducted together with representatives from the Kantor Wilayah Kementerian Agama Provinsi Sumatera Utara, BBGTK Sumut, local governments, and local education offices.
In Kabupaten Nias Selatan, the visit took place on 25 February 2026 at several madrasah ibtidaiyah (MI) and sekolah dasar (SD). Meanwhile, in Kabupaten Nias Utara, the team visited SD and MI on 28 February. These visits aimed to assess the impact of KREASI interventions in schools that joined the program in 2025 while also ensuring the readiness of schools scheduled to participate in 2026.
During the visits, the Catch-Up Club (CuC) emerged as one of the most impactful program components. Teachers reported that the play-based learning approach used in these sessions helped students make faster progress in basic literacy skills, particularly in recognizing letters and reading words.
Teachers have also begun integrating these approaches into regular classroom instruction. Some educators have utilized locally available materials to support learning, especially in mathematics. In several schools, classroom activities have also been combined with outdoor learning experiences such as field visits.
However, the visits also identified several challenges. One key concern is the sustainability of Catch-Up Club activities. With limited school budgets, stakeholders highlighted the need to reduce operational costs while encouraging stronger financial support from local governments.
Another challenge relates to limited parental support for children’s participation in Catch-Up Club activities.
In addition to school visits, KREASI organized coordination workshops with local governments to review program progress and strengthen collaboration. The workshop in Kabupaten Nias Selatan was held on 25 February 2026 at the Aula Kantor Bapperida, while the workshop in Kabupaten Nias Utara took place on 27 February 2026 at the Aula Kantor Bupati.
Local government representatives in both districts expressed their commitment to strengthening collaboration with KREASI to improve education quality. They also emphasized the importance of selecting highly committed teachers to serve as facilitators or trainers at the district level.
At the same time, local governments acknowledged fiscal constraints due to reduced budget transfers and limited regional operational funding. Meanwhile, schools continue to face significant needs related to infrastructure and learning materials.
Through these visits and discussions, KREASI together with partners and local governments reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration to improve learning outcomes for children in Kabupaten Nias Selatan and Kabupaten Nias Utara.
Lampung
The Save the Children team visiting Provinsi Lampung consisted of KREASI Deputy Chief of Party Imelda Usnadibrata; KREASI Regional Manager – Sumatra Man Magilan; and KREASI Innovation and Ecosystem Partnership Manager Agustinus Mau Tukan.
The series of activities began on 2 March 2026 with a coordination meeting with the local implementing partner (LIP) LP Ma’arif NU in Kabupaten Tanggamus. The meeting provided an opportunity to review program implementation progress, strengthen coordination in the field, and discuss plans for further program development.
On 3 March 2026, the KREASI team, together with the Wakil Bupati Tanggamus, visited several sekolah dasar (SD) and madrasah ibtidaiyah (MI) to observe learning practices and hear directly from teachers and school leaders about their experiences implementing KREASI-supported activities.
Teachers shared their experiences in applying more active and student-centered learning approaches, particularly in literacy and numeracy instruction. The visit also allowed local government representatives to observe the program’s early impact at the school level.
The activities continued in Kabupaten Pesisir Barat. On 5 March 2026, the KREASI team held a coordination meeting with the Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Daerah (Bappeda) Kabupaten Pesisir Barat to discuss the alignment between the KREASI program and regional development priorities, as well as opportunities to integrate the program into district-level education planning.
The visit concluded with the KREASI Program Reflection Workshop held on 6 March 2026 in Kabupaten Pesisir Barat. The workshop was attended by various local stakeholders, including government representatives, education offices, schools, and program partners. The event was also attended by the Ketua TP PKK Kabupaten Pesisir Barat, who expressed strong support for initiatives aimed at improving education quality in the region.
The workshop served as a platform for stakeholders to reflect on program progress, share lessons learned from field implementation, and strengthen collaboration between local governments, schools, and development partners.
Kalimantan Barat
The Save the Children visit to Provinsi Kalimantan Barat was led by KREASI Chief of Party Alifah Sri Lestari, KREASI Head of Finance Ida Nurtam, and KREASI Regional Manager – Kalimantan & Maluku Silverius Tasman.
The activities began on 3 March 2026 with a coordination meeting with the Government of Kabupaten Ketapang. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the KREASI program and the local government while discussing policy support and joint efforts to improve learning quality in schools.
On 4 March 2026, the team visited several sekolah dasar (SD) and madrasah ibtidaiyah (MI) in Kabupaten Ketapang to observe classroom practices and engage in discussions with teachers and school principals about the implementation of KREASI-supported activities, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
The activities then continued in Kabupaten Kayong Utara. On 5 March 2026, KREASI organized a Program Reflection Workshop attended by the Bupati Kayong Utara and other local stakeholders. The workshop provided a space for stakeholders to review program progress, share experiences from the field, and identify priorities for strengthening program implementation.
On the same day, the KREASI team also held a coordination meeting with the Government of Kabupaten Kayong Utara to strengthen support and alignment between the program and regional education policies.
The visit concluded on 6 March 2026 with school visits in Kabupaten Kayong Utara, where the team observed classroom learning and engaged in discussions with teachers and school leaders about their experiences applying more active and student-centered teaching approaches.
These activities reaffirmed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in supporting inclusive, safe, and child-centered education. They also strengthened the alignment between the KREASI program and local education development priorities.
Maluku Utara
The visiting team consisted of KREASI Head of Operation David Wala; KREASI Regional Manager Kalimantan Barat–Maluku Utara Silverius Tasman; and KREASI Child Protection Lead Ahmad Firdaus.
The activities began on 24 February 2026 with a coordination meeting with the Government of Kabupaten Halmahera Utara and the local implementing partner Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI). The meeting discussed program implementation progress and strengthened coordination among local governments, partners, and the program team.
On 25 February 2026, the team conducted school visits to observe learning practices at the school level.
The visits showed encouraging progress in literacy and numeracy learning in several schools. In one sekolah dasar (SD), most lower-grade students had demonstrated improved reading abilities. Teachers have also begun implementing more interactive learning approaches through games and participatory classroom activities.
Despite these positive developments, several challenges were also identified. In some schools, students are able to read technically but still struggle to fully understand the content of the texts they read. In addition, education data such as the Rapor Pendidikan from ANBK has not yet been optimally used by school leaders and teachers as a basis for planning learning improvements.
On 26 February 2026, the KREASI team met with the Wakil Gubernur Provinsi Maluku Utara to present program achievements from the first year and outline plans for the second year.
This was followed by the Workshop on KREASI Program Year 1 Achievements and Year 2 Implementation Plan in Kabupaten Halmahera Utara, attended by various stakeholders, including Bappeda, Dinas Pendidikan, Kantor Kementerian Agama, BPMP, BGTK, DP3A, and program partners.
The activities continued in Kabupaten Pulau Morotai, where KREASI held a program reflection workshop on 3 March 2026 attended by the Sekretaris Daerah Kabupaten Pulau Morotai and other local stakeholders.
Through this series of visits and workshops, KREASI and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in improving inclusive, safe, and child-centered education in Provinsi Maluku Utara.
