INOVASI 3 - Educational Policy and Regulatory Researcher (Consultant)

 

Background of The Project:
Indonesia’s Vision 2045 sets the goal for Indonesia to transition from a resource-based economy towards an advanced service, technology, and knowledge-based economy by the centenary of its independence (2045). The 2025-2045 National Long Term Development Plan emphasises the urgency of Indonesia’s human resource development to fully realise 2045 goals.
Faced however with persistent low student performance that is emblematic of a learning crisis, significant improvement in student learning will be required to reach Indonesia’s 2045 goals. Government of Indonesia (GoI) has started an ambitious program of education reforms. Successive education ministers have set out to modernise the education system through reforming the national curriculum and teaching and assessment approaches, to produce citizens with strong foundational skills, open minds, and inclusive values.
Australia is a long-term supporter of the Indonesian basic education sector, with continuous investments supporting education quality improvements for the past two decades, including through the INOVASI program (Phase 1 2016-2020; Phase 2 2020-2023) that focused on supporting acquisition of literacy and numeracy foundational skills in early grades classrooms; exploring local problems and solutions; and generating evidence to inform government policy development and practices. This third phase of INOVASI (2024-2027) builds upon the existing program’s approach and lessons learned and takes the focus on the development of foundational skills through to the end of the primary grades. Phase 3 will engage with priority issues of Australia’s development policy: gender equality, effective inclusion of children with a disability, responses to the climate change challenge in education. It will focus on the challenge of policy implementation and the gaps that exist between national policies and practices at district and school levels and use the well attested-success of INOVASI’s local problem-based approach to continuously support policy development for effective fit between policy and implementation context. INOVASI Phase 3 is implemented in 25 districts and cities across Indonesia, in the provinces of West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, East Java, West Java, and Maluku. The program also works in Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN). The Program is managed by Palladium on behalf of the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Currently, Indonesia's education policy relies solely on the National Assessment (AN), which evaluates the system rather than individual student outcomes. Balancing the need for standardized assessments to ensure credibility and fairness with their potential drawbacks requires careful consideration and thoughtful implementation. Through this balance, assessments can become powerful tools for enhancing the educational experience for all students. The challenge now is how the government, particularly the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, can design a more comprehensive assessment system, ensuring each assessment has a clear objective and provides optimal benefits for all stakeholders.
National standardized assessments play a crucial role in evaluating the education system in Indonesia. Through these assessments, the government can measure the effectiveness of the curriculum, the quality of teaching, and disparities in educational achievement across different regions. Additionally, assessments can serve as certification or selection instruments to determine students eligible to advance to the next level. However, the responsibility for utilizing assessment results does not lie solely with the central government. Local governments must also use assessment outcomes as a basis for formulating educational policies that align with the needs of students in their respective regions. Beyond system evaluation, assessments guide educators in designing more effective teaching strategies. By understanding assessment results, teachers can adjust their methods to better suit students' needs and achievements. However, a single assessment cannot fulfill all objectives simultaneously. Therefore, each assessment must be designed with a specific purpose to avoid overlap.

Purpose of the Position:
Under the direction of the Policy Specialist, the Educational Policy and Regulatory Researcher will play a critical role in providing technical assistance to the Agency for Education Standard, Curriculum, and Assessment (BSKAP) in developing on education policies. The consultant will support the BSKAP team by conducting desk reviews, performing data analysis, and drafting policy documents. Additionally, he/she will assist in formulating recommendations, collating feedback, and addressing counterparts' input during the policy development. He/she will also evaluate existing policies, identify gaps, and propose evidence-based solutions to strengthen the overall framework of education systems

Duties: Under the direction of Policy Specialist, the consultant will:

Conduct in-depth analysis of existing education policies and regulations, both domestically and internationally, to identify best practices and innovative approaches.Identify issues and challenges in the current education system to pinpoint key challenges and gaps that need to be addressed in the development of new policies and regulations.Drafting policy documents and regulatory frameworks that clearly outline the goals, principles, and procedures for student evaluation, ensuring they are evidence-based and aligned with educational standards.Collaborate with experts, practitioners, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders to design effective and well-rounded policies that reflect diverse perspectives and expertise.Analyze feedback received from public consultations and stakeholders to refine and improve the draft policy, ensuring it addresses concerns and incorporates valuable insights.Ensure the final policy is coherent, actionable, and aligned with national education goals, while integrating all relevant feedback to create a comprehensive and impactful framework.

Duration of the contract/Timeline:
The duration of the contract is 4 months with maximum 40 of billable workdays, with a possible of extension subject to satisfactory performance assessment.

Qualifications and Experience:
The Education Policy Researcher will possess the following qualifications and experience:

Possess a degree in a relevant field, complemented by relevant experience in supporting education policy research and analysis.A minimum of 4 years of recent and applicable experience working within Indonesia’s Education sector.Demonstrate a robust understanding of the current education policy and systems environment in Indonesia, and established networks and relationships within the government of Indonesia.Demonstrate an ability to be flexible, think clearly and logically, and work independently in a multitasking environment.Exhibit a high level of professionalism and sensitivity to confidential matters.Preferably, have experience in a donor environment, with familiarity with the Australian Government’s aid program in Indonesia being advantageous.

Working with children
Is this position likely to come into contact with children?                ☐ Yes                  ☒  No

Application closes on 3 March 2025 at 23:59 Jakarta Time

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Women are encouraged to apply