Jakarta, 21 May 2024 – a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed to expand our work in Indonesia into a fifth district. Bakti Barito Foundation, through Yayasan Bakti Pendidikan Unggul (YBPU), has formally entered into a five-year MOU with Malaka district. This agreement marks the continued expansion of the STiR programme in the East Nusa Tenggara province, with Malaka becoming the third district following North Central Timor (TTU) and South Central Timor (TTS).
The collaboration between Bakti Barito Foundation, STiR Education and Malaka district reaches all educational stakeholders across the district, including the District Education Agency (Dinas Pendidikan), school supervisors, principals, teachers and students. The goal is to cultivate instructional leadership among supervisors and principals, fostering professional learning communities for teachers, known locally as Komunitas Belajar in Indonesia. This holistic approach acknowledges the significance of supporting the entire educational ecosystem, going beyond individual teachers, to facilitate sustainable improvement.
Juniarius Boko, the Head of Malaka’s Education and Culture Agency, expressed strong support for the partnership, saying, “We’re thrilled to begin our programme in Malaka. Improving the quality of educators is vital, and we know we can’t do it alone. Partnering with organisations like YBPU-STiR is key to making a real difference. I’m confident that together, we’ll make big progress in improving education in Malaka.”
Dian A. Purbasari, the Director of Bakti Barito Foundation, shared her enthusiasm for the expansion, saying, “This collaboration highlights our dedication to improving education across Indonesia. By empowering educators and building strong learning communities, we aim to create lasting benefits for students and the community. Together with STiR Education, we are committed to fostering educational excellence in Malaka.”
Yoni Nurdiansyah, the Executive Director of STiR in Indonesia, was present during the MOU signing. “We are extremely honoured to have the strong commitment of the government of Malaka and the Education and Culture Agency. We look forward to working closely with the education leaders in Malaka to create strong professional learning communities for school supervisors, school principals and teachers, so that they will improve their practice and move together in a journey that drives student learning outcomes, with our vision to create a world where teachers love teaching and children love learning.”