Jakarta. The results of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey show that the literacy and numeracy levels of students in Indonesia are still concerning. In this survey, Indonesia ranks low, with a decline in scores in reading, mathematics, and science by 12-13 points.

The low performance of Indonesian students is influenced by various factors, ranging from early childhood development when children are preparing to enter school, to the quality of basic education nationwide. However, providing stimulation, especially in the first 1,000 days of life, has a significant impact on early childhood development.

The earlier a child receives the right stimulation, the better their brain development will be. If a child misses the opportunity to learn in early childhood (through stimulation), their brain development will be below average. Early stimulation aims to enhance gross motor skills, fine motor skills, speech and language development, as well as social skills and independence, which ultimately affects brain development.

Optimal early childhood development is not enough to ensure high academic performance. When children enter school (elementary school), the quality of learning becomes the next challenge. If a child is ready to learn but receives poor-quality teaching, the result will be the same. Classroom quality, school management, and parental involvement are dominant contributors in this context.

The Tanoto Foundation -- an independent philanthropic organization in the field of education founded by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto in 1981 -- strives to improve student performance, particularly in literacy and numeracy. It has launched programs that focus on early childhood stimulation (early childhood development and education) and the improvement of basic education quality.

The SIGAP program (focused on early childhood development and education) and the PINTAR program (focused on basic education) have made an impact in the areas where the Tanoto Foundation operates, as of 2024.

This was conveyed by the Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation Lead for Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) at the Tanoto Foundation, Much. Arief Firdaus, and the Impact Evaluation and Learning Lead at Tanoto Foundation, Radi Negara, during the International Conference on Assessment and Learning (ICAL) hosted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) at the Anvaya Hotel in Bali, on Oct. 11, 2024.

The Importance of Early Childhood Education Stimulation for Children Aged 0-3 Years

Arief told the forum of positive impact of Rumah Anak SIGAP, part of Tanoto Foundation's SIGAP program. This was based off the research titled "Impact of Community-Based Early Child Stimulation Service for Children Aged 0-3 Years". The research sought to address the lack of early childhood stimulation programs for children aged 0-3 years in Indonesia.

“Early stimulation services are still limited, yet they play a crucial role in a child's development, especially in their brain's ability to absorb lessons when they start school. To address this limitation, the Tanoto Foundation has been running community-based early stimulation services for children aged 0-3 years, called Rumah Anak SIGAP, since 2021,” Arief said.

This study aimed to assess the impact of Rumah Anak SIGAP's early stimulation program on children and their caregivers. The results of the study are expected to be used to improve the program for greater impact, and to inform government and other institutions in the development of child care and stimulation services in other regions.

The study involved 455 participants across two groups: 262 intervention participants and 193 non-intervention participants, from 16 villages with Rumah Anak SIGAP locations and 16 control villages in Banten, Jakarta, and East Kalimantan.

Quantitative data analysis shows that Rumah Anak SIGAP Tanoto Foundation's program has a positive impact on the development of children aged 0-3 years and parenting practices.

“The Rumah Anak SIGAP program has a positive impact on child development. About 55.6 percent of the children who participated in the intervention had a CREDI [Caregiver-Reported Early Development Index] score above the normal reference, compared to only 39.1 percent of children who were not intervened. Positive impacts on children aged 24-29 months were consistently seen across all aspects of child development: cognitive, language, motor, and socio-emotional,” Arief explained.

In line with these findings, qualitatively, the Rumah Anak SIGAP program also had a positive effect on parenting practices, particularly in changes observed in caregivers' parenting approaches.

“The socio-emotional aspect was the most noticeable change experienced by caregivers,” Arief said.

According to Arief, the research findings indicate that children should start learning early and continue in a program for at least two years to experience optimal development.

The study also examined the relationship between caregiving practices and child development, where providing diverse learning materials appropriate for the child's age and parent-child interaction were found to be significant factors influencing development.

“For example, focusing on strong parental involvement and encouraging them to spend more time reading books and engaging in activities that stimulate various aspects of child development. Parents also need to apply positive discipline with clear rules and expectations and respond appropriately to children's diverse behaviors,” Arief said.

However, to achieve optimal outcomes, parents (especially new ones) also need support.

“Support can be provided by helping parents develop strategies to manage their emotions, motivating them to seek support from others when facing difficulties in managing their children's behaviors, guiding parents in establishing regular routines, and involving children in creating and maintaining those routines,” Arief said.

“It is also important to remember that achieving these results requires contributions from various stakeholders. Collaboration is needed to expand the reach of quality caregiving services, for example, by working with public health workers and Posyandu cadres to reinforce the program's messages about good caregiving practices, ensuring that these messages are adapted to local contexts,” Arief said.

Quality of Basic Education

At the same conference, Radi Negara presented how Tanoto Foundation's PINTAR program has had a positive impact on improving students' literacy and numeracy skills. This was concluded from the research titled “Estimating the Impact of Whole-School Improvement Intervention Using National Assessment Metrics: Lessons Learned from the PINTAR.”

“The contribution of the PINTAR program to improving student learning outcomes is through strengthening classroom teaching practices, school management, and increasing parent involvement,” he said.

He added: “This research shows that the PINTAR program can be replicated by local governments for elementary and middle schools and can provide recommendations for policies on improving teacher skills and school management, as demonstrated by the intervention in partner schools."

The research was conducted as part of Tanoto Foundation's ongoing PINTAR program, which offers a series of training programs for teachers and school principals to improve the quality of education. Between 2018 and 2023, the program has reached 1,397 schools across five provinces and 25 cities in Indonesia.

“This research aimed to assess the impact of the PINTAR program on the development of students, teachers, and school governance, and to identify the factors that contribute to improving student achievement,” Radi said.

The study compared schools that implemented the PINTAR program with those that did not. Each category had 295 schools, resulting in a total of 590 schools (both elementary and middle schools) as research samples.

The aspects studied in this research were derived from the Education Report Card, using data and permissions from local education authorities. These aspects included student achievements in literacy, numeracy, and participation in the community, school governance, and teaching practices.

“The results showed a 10 percent gap between non-partner schools and PINTAR partner schools in the proportion of students with adequate literacy skills, and an 11.6 percent difference in the proportion of students with adequate numeracy skills,” Radi said.

“The research also found several factors that can improve school quality, such as psychological support from teachers to students and active participation from parents,” he said.

Arief and Radi hope that more data will be accessible from various regions so that researchers can conduct studies to inform evidence-based education program planning, especially in early childhood and basic education, ensuring that children are given a strong foundation for the future.

ICAL, organized by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), is a global academic conference focused on the development, research, and practices related to educational assessment and learning.

The event aims to bring together educators, researchers, and policymakers from various countries to discuss innovations and challenges in assessment methods and their impact on student learning processes.

ICAL also serves as a platform for sharing the latest research findings and assessment approaches that support the improvement of education quality at all levels. 

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