Indonesia’s education reforms have improved learning outcomes nationally, but not all provinces have progressed at the same pace. ACI’s webinar, held on 12 March 2026, “Human Capital Divide in Indonesia: Conversion Gaps and Policy Options,” focused on this gap between national policy and local outcomes, and what helps explain it. The discussion showed that the issue is not just whether reforms or digital tools are introduced, but whether local systems have the capacity to use them well. Across the session, speakers pointed to implementation, teacher capability, institutional readiness, and uneven digital conditions across provinces as some of the main factors shaping whether policy translates into real improvements on the ground.

Key Highlights:

1. Digital readiness is not just about access to devices or internet connectivity. Speakers stressed the importance of teacher capability, software quality, and whether the technology is usable in practice.

2. Technology can support more self-paced and interactive learning, and may help students who are less comfortable participating in person. But these gains depend on whether the tools are matched to real classroom needs.

3. Differences in infrastructure, digital literacy, and school readiness across provinces continue to shape how far education technology can be used effectively.

4. From the industry side, the discussion highlighted the need to align human capital development more closely with workforce needs and longer-term economic priorities.

By Adam Bin ROMZI and Gianina Amadira

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