Independent Strategic Review of INOVASI Phase 2 and UNICEF Papua Phase 3 Programs in Indonesia and Management Response

Summary of publication

Since 2006, the Government of Australia (GoA) has made considerable investments in Indonesia’s basic education sector across a range of programs. In 2016, Australia shifted its education support from increasing access to improving quality, with a particular focus on accelerating the improvement of students’ learning outcomes in foundational skills (literacy, numeracy and critical thinking).

Both the Innovation for Indonesia’s School Children (INOVASI) program and the Rural and Remote Education Initiative for Papuan Provinces (UNICEF Papua), particularly in their respective second and third phase aim to improve students’ learning outcomes in foundational skills by working together with Government of Indonesia (GoI) national, provincial and district stakeholders and implementing partners to better understand underlying systemic problems and challenges and then spread uptake of tested and contextualized solutions.

In mid-2022, DFAT commissioned an Independent Strategic Review (ISR) of the above programs to assess their performance and inform DFAT in its thinking and decision-making about Australia’s future partnership with Indonesia. The ISR report presents essential findings on how well both programs are tracking against their End of Program Outcomes (EOPOs), as well as identifying key areas for further improvement in the remaining time of both phases and highlighting opportunities for DFAT’s continued support.

In summary, the ISR found that both programs remain highly relevant to GoI and GoA priorities and are tracking well against their EOPOs, noting certain risks to be managed such as the sustainability of contextualised processes and practices. The ISR asserted a strong case for DFAT’s continued engagement in the basic education sector focusing on (i) foundational skills development, (ii) working at both national and subnational levels and strengthening the linkages between the two, (iii) institutionalising reforms at the subnational level, (iv) support for teacher competencies and standards development, (v) expanding support to early childhood education, and (vi) supporting inclusive basic education.

DFAT’s Management Response to the ISR report is below.