In the first half of 2018, a cohort of 21 development practitioners associated with the Innovation for Indonesia’s School Children (INOVASI) program, alongside various partners, participated in an intensive 15-week online course offered by Harvard’s Centre for International Development. This course, titled ‘Practice of PDIA: Building Capability by Delivering Results’, provided participants with a deep dive into the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach, aimed at addressing real-world challenges in Indonesia’s basic education sector.

The participants, representing diverse organizations such as the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture (MOEC), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and several research institutes, formed cross-program groups to tackle specific problems related to INOVASI’s objectives:

  1. Enhancing learning outcomes in Indonesian primary classrooms.
  2. Systematically improving learning outcomes at district and school levels.
  3. Building an evidence base to inform policy and practice in education.

Drawing on insights from previous experiences with PDIA and consultations with experts like Professor Lant Pritchett, the participants redefined and strengthened INOVASI’s approach to problem-solving. Unlike earlier efforts focused on class-based issues, the revamped PDIA approach adopted by INOVASI now takes a more systemic view, addressing challenges at national, district, and school levels while prioritizing practical solutions over process-oriented approaches.

The ‘wicked hard’ challenge of improving education in Indonesia persists despite significant investments and interventions over the years. Despite substantial government spending and nearly universal primary education enrollment, learning outcomes remain subpar. Previous reform efforts, often characterized by top-down approaches and cascade training, have failed to yield desired results. INOVASI seeks to break this cycle by adopting a locally driven, context-specific approach grounded in PDIA principles.

INOVASI’s journey with PDIA reflects a shift from externally imposed solutions to locally tailored strategies aimed at addressing Indonesia’s diverse cultural contexts. By empowering local partners to define and solve problems, INOVASI aims to create sustainable institutional reforms that resonate with local values and resources.

Through the ‘Practice of PDIA’ course, participants gained valuable insights and tools to tackle complex challenges in Indonesia’s education sector. By embracing a problem-driven, iterative approach, INOVASI aims to unlock new possibilities for improving learning outcomes and fostering meaningful change at all levels of the education system.