TIF Highlights: March to May 2025

Quarterly Update

National Webinar Series: Advancing Education for Sustainability in Indonesia

From 5 - 8 May 2025, we hosted our first ever national webinar. The four-day series was focused on Education for Sustainability, bringing together educators, practitioners, and advocates to explore how Indonesia can build a more equitable and sustainable education system.

The webinar series featured:

• 4 online sessions

• 7 external speakers

• 4 moderators

• 411 registered participants

Each session focused on a key theme:

• The national direction for education and sustainability

• Sustainable school practices and the role of educators

• Indigenous knowledge and its relevance to education

• Practical actions to support community-based sustainability

With between 120 and 167 participants attending each session, the series sparked critical conversations on aligning education with environmental, cultural, and local priorities. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to all who contributed to the success of this series!

Learning Centre Highlights

At our Learning Centres this quarter, the children were busy exploring three new themes. In March, we focused on Fun & Enjoying Life. The children reflected on what brings them joy, practiced mindfulness, and spent time outdoors reconnecting with nature during guided walks. In April, we shifted gears to dive into Climate Change Heroes. The students learned what climate change looks like, how it affects their communities, and began to think about the actions they can take to protect the environment. By May, we moved into the theme of Advocacy - specifically, how we can raise awareness about climate change. One of the highlights was a mangrove planting excursion that brought the classroom learning to life.

Student Graduation

Given the end of the academic year, we celebrated the graduation of 111 students from our Learning Centres this quarter! To mark the occasion, we held our annual event which was full of performances and speeches. We were delighted to welcome 98 students, 98 parents and 41 local stakeholders. Whilst it's always sad to say bye to many kids who have been with us for several years, we are excited to keep them engaged in our alumni efforts, as well as welcome a new cohort this quarter. 

Mangrove Planting Excursion

In May, Students from Tenggel, Kelong, and Air Glubi Learning Centres took part in a mangrove planting event. We were delighted to have 34 students join in, along with local leaders including the head of the local village. Seedlings for the mangrove planting were sourced from a local nursery in Pengudang, which also helped students see how environmental efforts are already happening in their own communities. By participating directly, the children were able to connect what they’d been learning in class to a real, local conservation effort - reinforcing the idea that protecting the environment starts close to home.

TIF Fun Days

Our Fun Days continued in Q4 as a school-based event promoting environmental awareness through fun, interactive learning for the larger community, not just the students enrolled in our program. Activities included drawing, recycled crafts, and treasure hunts - all designed to encourage teamwork, problem-solving, and creative thinking. So far, our Fun Days have happened in 11 schools across Bintan, reaching over 1,600 students and 80 teachers. We are excited to hold an event in the final participating school this quarter.

Engaging with our Learning Centre Alumni

In April, we welcomed back 24 of our young alumni - now in junior and high school - for a gathering centered on personal growth and habit-building. The session centred around James Clear’s Atomic Habits, with a guided book review designed to spark critical thinking and introduce practical ideas about forming positive routines. After the book review, the event continued with an English session led by Mr. Charlie. Using a relaxed and interactive approach, he guided the alumni through a series of group activities and games designed to encourage speaking practice.

Our aim was to encourage alumni to develop a consistent reading habit, particularly around self-development books, and to begin building an active, reflective reading culture within the group. This gathering also marked the start of our efforts to design a more structured alumni engagement approach, with plans for smaller group discussions to support ongoing participation and peer learning.

And With the Alumni of our Local Teacher Training Program in Lingga

In May, 39 of the teachers who had completed our teacher training program in Lingga, gathered in Dabo Singkep for a day of reflection and networking. The keynote, delivered by our local Yayasan Board Member, Bapak Satria, told the story of an ordinary teacher who became a national education innovator.

This event served as a space for gathering, reflection, and inspiration for teachers to continue driving positive change in their respective educational environments. The presence of Mr. Supardi, Secretary of the Lingga District Education Office, provided moral support for the teacher capacity development program in the region.

The main session was led by Mr. Satria, who presented on the theme “From Zero to National Innovator.” In this session, he shared the inspiring journey of an ordinary teacher who became a national-level education innovator. This presentation provided motivation, new perspectives, and practical steps for teachers to continue innovating and making an impact in their schools and communities.

This event also served as an important opportunity for alumni to strengthen their networks, share best practices, and design collaborative steps to support education that is more contextual, meaningful, and student-centered in Lingga District.

Facilitator Mentoring with UWCSEA

We’re very grateful to the team at UWCSEA for their continued support of our facilitators through the mentorship program. Their guidance has helped facilitators build confidence and adapt their teaching approaches to better meet student needs.

This quarter, mentoring sessions focused on classroom strategies, emotional regulation, and student engagement—starting with real classroom challenges and working toward practical solutions through shared reflection.

Some key areas explored included:

• Techniques to check student readiness

• Behaviour management tools such as rhythmic cues and visual aids

• Differentiated questioning strategies to deepen learning 

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the next phase of the partnership. Plans are underway for our team to visit UWCSEA schools, and we also hope to welcome their team and students to our sites in the next academic year.