In the small subdistrict of Insana Fafinesu, North Central Timor, East Nusa Tenggara, something extraordinary is happening. The local learning community, full of energy and hope, is working together to improve education for teachers and school principals.
At the centre of this effort is Pak Kristianus Naben, more familiarly known as Pak Kriss, a school supervisor and District Champion for the STiR-Yayasan Bakti Barito programme. His role is to help teachers and school leaders learn new strategies to improve education. However, when the programme first started, Pak Kriss faced a big challenge: How can we ensure teachers will keep coming, knowing the limitations of our budget and the distance they have to travel? This challenge seemed almost insurmountable.
Despite these obstacles, Pak Kriss knew giving up wasn’t an option. He understood that the teachers and principals were relying on him and that this programme had the potential to make a real difference in the classroom. Though there were delays, he remained committed to finding a way to continue. He knew that the meetings were vital to improve teacher agency and motivation and that this in turn, strengthens students’ learning.
Pak Kriss called a meeting with the K3S (a local learning community for school principals) members. They met in a simple room, sharing coffee. He told them:
“We don’t need to wait for a budget to move forward. This programme has the potential to improve teachers’ practices and make a real difference for our students. We must find a way to keep going.”
The K3S members listened closely and soon realised that the STiR programme aligned with what they were already planning. They decided to focus on what they could do, rather than what they didn’t have. Even if it meant holding meetings with simple refreshments or using their own resources, they were determined to keep the programme going.
As they worked together, they found that cooperation, flexibility, and focusing on what mattered most were more important than material resources. They developed a plan that worked for their needs, aligned with the STiR goals, and kept everyone motivated.
With the new plan in place, Pak Kriss and K3S started organising training sessions for teachers. The community was excited to learn. One teacher, Bu Ermalinda Subay, expressed how happy she and her colleagues were:
We are so grateful for the opportunity to have this training. It has really helped us apply new teaching strategies in the classroom, such as how we can start cultivating a Growth Mindset, and we’re excited to bring these ideas to our students.
In the end, the lack of funding or all the limitations wasn’t the main problem. What mattered most was their willingness to work together and support one another. Even with simple meals and modest meeting spaces, they were able to achieve meaningful results.
Now, the K3S group in Insana Fafinesu is ready to move on to the next stage of the programme, eager to learn more exciting teaching strategies. They are excited and motivated to learn new ideas and continue growing.
