Edition 18 presents the findings of a study on the profile of literacy and numeracy in Kota Batu. Using the PEMANTIK instrument (PSPK’s Self-Assessment Tool for Numeracy and Literacy), the study was conducted by Kolaborasi Literasi Bermakna (KLB), one of the INOVASI partners in East Java. INOVASI (Innovation for Indonesia’s School Children) is an education partnership program between the Governments of Indonesia and Australia aimed at identifying and understanding effective ways to improve primary school students’ learning outcomes—particularly in literacy, numeracy, and inclusive education.

Working closely with the Ministry of Education and Culture, INOVASI partnered with 17 districts across the provinces of West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, and East Java. The program ran from 2016 to 2019 and was managed by Palladium on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Since July 2018, INOVASI has collaborated with various education organizations in Indonesia to support its mission of improving primary school learning outcomes.

The study findings indicate that in literacy, most Grade 1–3 students in Kota Batu have achieved basic comprehension skills. However, the highest performance was recorded among Grade 2 students, suggesting a tendency toward stagnation in Grade 3. In numeracy, most students demonstrated subtraction skills. Referring to the Indonesian curriculum—particularly for Grade 3—this achievement level remains relatively low. Several factors were found to significantly contribute to differences in student outcomes. The full report can be accessed through the following edition of Kilas Pendidikan.