We’re thrilled to welcome our newest partner, Teach First Indonesia, to Teach For All. With a vision to create a future where all children in Indonesia are equipped with the skills and mindsets needed to break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future, Teach First Indonesia is focused on developing future leaders to transform education and create systemic change.

As the world’s fourth largest nation - home to over 288 million people - Indonesia is on a historic trajectory, projected to become the world's fourth-largest economy by 2050. Yet, this incredible economic potential faces a critical bottleneck: a severe educational equity gap. Today, more than 7 million Indonesians over the age of 10 cannot read or write, and over 80% of 15-year-olds struggle with basic math. This crisis is compounded by a systemic deficit of more than 100,000 qualified teachers due to uneven distribution of talent between urban and rural areas. Without access to quality education, millions of young people are trapped in a vicious cycle of economic vulnerability; nationwide, nearly 6 million youth face outright unemployment, while tens of millions more remain trapped in underemployment and informal work, earning well below a living wage. This talent drain threatens to stall the generational progress of Southeast Asia's largest market.

To address the country’s educational crisis, Teach First Indonesia recruits and develops outstanding young leaders to teach in high-need areas for two years, leading to immediate and long-term impact: Students receive quality education that can help them to break the cycle of poverty and contribute to their communities, while Fellows develop their leadership living and working alongside the communities where they teach. This experience shapes their perspectives and their career journeys, creating a long-term pipeline of exceptional leaders committed to educational equity.

"To truly unlock Indonesia’s future, we must ensure that our economic growth is matched by educational opportunity for every single child," said Najelaa Shihab, Founder and Board Chair of Teach First Indonesia.

Founded and led by Board Chair Najelaa Shihab and CEO Cara Riantoputra, Teach First Indonesia has placed its inaugural cohort of 29 Fellows in two high-need geographic communities: Serang City in the province of Banten and Klungkung Regency in the province of Bali. Having entered classrooms in July, these founding Fellows are teaching multiple subjects to students in third, fourth, and fifth grades. Their focus is on supporting foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills while fostering students’ agency, resilience, and growth mindsets. 

We look forward to learning from and sharing more about Teach First Indonesia’s progress in the months and years to come!

Learn more about Teach First Indonesia on their website, Instagram and LinkedIn.