When people find out I work in education, their first reaction is almost always the same:
"How does our education system really work?”

My reply usually starts with a smile — and a question back:
“Do you know how Indonesia’s education system works in the first place?”

At the macro level,

our education system is shaped by Otonomi Daerah — where education becomes the mandate of local governments. The ministries may set the policies and watch from above, but the real story unfolds on the ground. It creates space for local innovation, yes.. but it also exposes deep gaps.

At the micro level,

the challenges are more personal, more raw. A mother decides whether today’s money goes to rice or to her child’s notebooks. A teacher in a remote school stretched thin, doing everything from teaching to administration. A child trying to read, but stumbling because the basic literacy were never fully in place.

Add in the fast-changing world of work & AI and you get a web that’s hard to untangle.

These aren’t just statistics. They’re everyday trade-offs that quietly shape the future of millions.

Because the system is complex, lasting change can’t come from short-term programs alone. It requires a thoughtful approach shaped by the realities on the ground. From our experience, these are the key factors that make reform stick:

1. Find the way in.
   You can’t change a system from the outside. Knowing the right entry point allows you to act when decision-makers are most open.

2. Pick the right messenger
   Ideas land best when delivered by someone the audience trusts. A respected local figure can shift mindsets faster than any policy memo.

3. Frame the message in their terms
   People respond to what they value. Speaking to these priorities is far more effective than abstract ideal

4. Spot the obstacles, use the leverage
   Challenges will surface in any reform, but within them lie the levers for change. Finding them early helps you move faster and smarter.

5. Measure what matters
   Leaders act on what they can see. Focusing on a few visible indicators makes progress tangible and keeps momentum alive. When results are clear and measurable, they are harder to ignore.

Education will always be a tangled web. But webs can be rewoven patiently, together.

At AMANA, we’ve seen that transformation happens one locality at a time. If you want to explore how to create lasting impact in your part of the web, contact amani@amana.id.