Draft:Iwan Syahril

Dr. Iwan Syahril, Ph.D. (born October 26, 1976) is an educator who currently serves as the Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Secondary Education (PAUD Dikdasmen). He assists the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim.

Iwan comes from a family of teachers in Padang, West Sumatra. He is the eldest son of Syahril Kasim and Syafrida, both of Minangkabau descent. His father was a well-known English teacher in Padang from the 1960s to the 1990s, and his mother comes from a farming family in Batusangkar. Many of Iwan’s relatives, including his uncles, aunts, cousins, and in-laws, are also teachers, both in civil service and honorary positions. His passion for education led him to become a teacher and focus on teacher education. After serving as the Special Staff to the Minister for Learning and as Director General of Teachers and Educational Personnel, Iwan now serves as the Director General of PAUD Dikdasmen.

Education

Iwan completed his elementary to high school education in Padang. He earned his bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Padjadjaran University in Bandung in 1998. He later pursued a postgraduate program in English Education at the Indonesian University of Education. Iwan went on to earn two master’s degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York: one in Secondary Education and another in Curriculum and Teaching. He also earned a Ph.D. from Michigan State University, focusing on Education Policy and Teacher Education.

Family

Iwan married Xanty Dwi Putri in 2001, and they have two children: Shakila Aliyahputri Syahril and Iqra Hatta Syahril.

Carier

Iwan taught English from 1995 to 2005. He began his career as a part-time teacher in non-formal education and taught English at various educational institutions for the majority of his career as a teacher. He also worked as an assistant teacher at WL McLeod Elementary School in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada, as part of the Indonesia-Canada Youth Exchange Program (ICYEP) in 1996. After completing his graduate studies at Teachers College, Columbia University, Iwan was offered a teaching position at Scarsdale Public Schools, New York, one of the best school districts in the United States. He taught various classes at five elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school in Scarsdale, New York.

While pursuing his Ph.D. at Michigan State University, Iwan taught several graduate-level courses and served as an administrator in the Secondary Education Teacher Education Program at the College of Education. The Teacher Education program at Michigan State University is ranked as the top program in the United States, maintaining this position for 26 consecutive years since 1995, according to U.S. News & World Report. The latest release still ranks Michigan State University's teacher education program as the best for elementary and secondary education.

Iwan worked as a lecturer at Universitas Siswa Bangsa Internasional, now known as Universitas Sampoerna. He was also involved in several teacher training programs conducted by the Putera Sampoerna Foundation in various regions of Indonesia. Iwan has served as Coordinator of Educational Sciences, Coordinator of the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum Development, Director of Institutional Research and Quality Assurance, and Dean of the Faculty of Education. Along with several colleagues from his campus, he co-authored the book "Opportunities and Challenges in 21st Century Education."

As a researcher, Iwan has experience as a consultant for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in 2016, working on a research project related to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) Video Study, an international research collaboration between RAND, DIPF, and ETS. The research focused on the use of classroom observation videos and was funded by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Iwan is one of the founders and researchers at the Center for Education and Policy Studies (PSPK), an independent nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on educational policy in Jakarta. Iwan has presented at prominent educational conferences, such as the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting and the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference. Among Iwan’s academic publications are "Teacher Training and Preparation," published in the Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance, and "Globalization and Teacher Education," written in the International Handbook of Research on Teacher Education.

Iwan was part of the team that designed social and personal competency training for teachers in the Jakarta Education Department in 2017. In 2019, Iwan was a member of the expert team at the National School and Madrasah Accreditation Board (BAN-SM). He also served as a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jakarta, designing the curriculum for the SDGs Leadership Academy. On May 8, 2020, Iwan was appointed Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel, and on September 8, 2022, he was inaugurated and began his duties as Director General of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Secondary Education, assisting the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim.

Despite his various roles throughout his career, including his current roles as Director General of GTK and PAUDDasmeen, Iwan's primary identity is as a teacher.

As Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel (Dirjen GTK) at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), Iwan Syahril actively supported the strategic programs of Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim through the "Merdeka Belajar" (Freedom to Learn) policy, especially programs directly benefiting teachers and education personnel (GTK). Iwan played a direct role in designing and initiating programs aimed at transforming education in Indonesia.

In designing these programs, Iwan was inspired by and deeply studied the educational concepts and philosophy of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, the Father of National Education. Iwan firmly believes that education is the place where seeds of culture are nurtured, and to achieve the civilization aspired to by a nation, education is its main foundation. Iwan frequently conveys this message in his speeches about the "Merdeka Belajar" philosophy. He emphasizes that the work being done at Kemendikbudristek is not just about getting children to attend school or achieve good exam scores, but about embracing the shared cultural aspirations and building a civilization.

As Director General of GTK, Iwan often traveled to various regions with the Minister to oversee the strategic programs of Kemendikbudristek, especially those related to teachers and education personnel. He personally listened to the aspirations of teachers in various regions, demonstrating his concern while also encouraging teachers to collaborate in improving education in Indonesia.

Iwan's dedication to education, especially in the fields of teacher education and his efforts toward transforming Indonesian education, led to his appointment as Chair of the Education Working Group (EdWG) for Indonesia’s G20 Presidency in 2022. Iwan led the G20 EdWG agenda throughout 2022 to establish a quality education system for all. In this agenda, Iwan also led discussions on four priority areas to find effective solutions to global education issues.

In addition to being entrusted as Chair of Indonesia's G20 Education Working Group, this father of two was also appointed as a Steering Committee member of the Teacher Task Force at UNESCO. The TTF is a global independent alliance focused on teacher-related issues. This alliance is dedicated to raising awareness, expanding knowledge, and supporting countries on questions and themes related to Target 4.c of SDG 4.

Iwan’s exemplary leadership in enhancing teacher competence and dedication to education has earned him an honorary doctorate in Humanities from Michigan State University. This honorary degree, presented by MSU President Stanley in East Lansing, Michigan, is seen as an inspirational event for teachers in Indonesia, recognizing Iwan's role in encouraging teachers to keep learning and growing.

For Iwan, education transformation is the key to addressing the challenges of education in Indonesia. He believes that collaboration, mutual cooperation, and motivating teachers to be empowered, share, and learn from one another are essential parts of solving these challenges.