SEAL - Strength-Based Living

Indonesia has the world’s 4th largest education system, accommodating over 50 million students, facilitated by a workforce of over 3 million teachers spread across over 250 thousand schools. Being the world's largest archipelago, with over 17.000 islands, the education system grapples with significant disparities in educational standards between national and international institutions, primarily due to limited access to quality educational resources for both teachers and students, resulting in a scarcity of qualified teachers.

Over 42% of the population lives in rural regions, where only 54% have a library and 39% of the schools have enough books to support teachers’ and students’ basic development. Being the world’s 6th country with the greatest wealth inequality, it is estimated that over 60% of schools cannot afford professional development, nor curriculums that foster meaningful education that enhances strengths and 21st century skills building. The composition of the teaching workforce also reflects these disparities, with only 34% of the teachers and a mere 18% of the principals possessing qualifications beyond high school, 40% being composed of permanent civil-servant teachers and the shortfall is filled by short-term, contracted teachers.

Indonesia's projected economic rise, where the country is expected to become the sixth-largest economy in the world by 2027, juxtaposed with its poor performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) raises pertinent concerns. A strong economy requires a skilled and innovative workforce, typically fostered through quality education. Indonesia's lagging education outcomes, particularly in crucial areas like mathematics (bottom 12), reading (bottom 11), and science (bottom 15), suggest a potential mismatch between its economic ambitions and its human capital development. Without improvements in education, Indonesia may struggle to harness the full potential of its growing economy, leading to disparities between economic growth and societal well-being.

The absence of social-emotional learning (SEL) in Indonesian schools, coupled with the neglect of well-being and other essential thinking skills in the core curriculum and the lack of focus in understanding each student's strengths, has led to a concerning rise in suicide rates across children, teenagers, and adults. As of 2017, Indonesia ranks as the 14th country globally in terms of suicide rates and the 8th highest within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. The failure to prioritize SEL, well-being, thinking skills and strengths in schools deprives students of essential skills to navigate and manage relationships, societal challenges, and their future pathway. The neglect of the holistic development of individuals, focusing solely on academic achievement at the expense of mental and emotional health, has deteriorated Indonesia's mental health, posing a large risk to the nation's economical growth, not only due to the direct costs of treatment, but also due to a variety of indirect costs such as reduced economic productivity, higher rates of unemployment and other economic impacts.

We have developed a digital platform which supports schools and teachers in the implementation of strength-based education to bridge the educational gap, named Strength-Based Living (SEAL). This support covers different areas through an initial 3 features:

1. SEAL Compass: a curricula curated to be culturally-inclusive for grades 1 through 12, fostering students 21st century skills, social-emotional intelligence, healthy habits and routines, UNSDGs project management, socialpreneurship and strengths. The curricula is composed of syllabi, frameworks, lesson plans, lesson presentations, worksheets, and hands-on activities, fostering not only students' strengths, but also their social-impact entrepreneurship, with sustainability in mind. Teachers have full access to all content materials which are divided into project stages, allowing teachers to choose what project theme to implement in which term, according to its current relevance;
2. SEAL Dojo: teachers’ courses to upgrade and develop mastery of teachers' skills in areas such as the 21st century skills, social-emotional intelligence, UNSDGs project management, leadership, mindfulness, classroom management, and positive discipline. These courses lower the skill gap between internationally hired teachers and locally hired teachers, ensuring all teachers across Indonesia have access to up-to-date high quality development. Teachers also have access to courses which guide them towards the best teaching practices of the SEAL Compass; and
3. SEAL Identity: skills and strengths mapping that allows for teachers, students and families to understand students' natural skills, focusing on their development and helping them trace a meaningful personalized pathway for their future. This assessment feature is being developed to focus on students' progress and individualized growth pathway towards their metacognitive function, 21st century skills, and unique strengths, rather than focusing on the traditional academic assessment which relies on the memorization of concepts.

Our ecosystem focuses on holistic development, encompassing metacognitive function, 21st century skills, social-emotional learning, healthy habits and routines, socialpreneurship, and personalized strengths, contrary to the academic-focused deficit approach taken by traditional education.

SEAL has been developed with the local education community and ESG in mind, making it accessible, easy to use, culturally-inclusive, while including the sustainable future of the world at the heart of the curricula. The implementation of SEAL can be done immediately, and the school community starts harvesting its results within its first year of implementation.
SEAL serves as an accelerated systematic solution to the current efforts of the Indonesian Ministry of Education to bridge the educational gap, supporting all government efforts to bring its education to the next level.

SEAL focuses on two main target populations: teachers and students.

The general teaching population in Indonesia is currently underqualified and overloaded. With SEAL Compass, teachers have access to not only the curricula framework, but all its necessary documentation in accordance with the requirements of the Indonesian Ministry of Education. With that, teachers focus can shift from preparing hundreds of pages of formal documentation, to using the ready materials to prepare themselves to guide students through meaningful and impactful lessons. With more time on their hands, teachers can also dive into our SEAL Dojo courses, further upgrading their skills, equipping themselves with top-tier professional development.

Students, on the other hand, not only harvest the results of teachers being able to better prepare for the lessons and have access to teachers with a higher skill levels, but also have access to meaningful and holistic education, placing a focus on the 21st century skills while understanding their own strengths, much needed in order to strive in life.

For the past four years, our multidisciplinary-background team, including dedicated educators, psychologists and members of the community, has worked to develop a solution to revolutionize the educational landscape in Indonesia. Comprising of individuals with diverse backgrounds, our team ranges from individuals who have firsthand experience as students, teachers, and school leaders within the local educational system to those who have benefited from top-tier education.

Driven by a shared passion for education and social impact, our journey has focused on collaboration, innovation, and a deep desire to address the multifaceted challenges facing Indonesia's education. Drawing upon insights from direct interactions with government officials, stakeholders involved in the current standardized curricula, and community members struggling with the daily challenges of education, we have cultivated a deeper understanding of the pain points education in Indonesia faces. Our team's commitment to community engagement, through actively soliciting feedback, ideas, and concerns from a diverse array of stakeholders, has allowed us to gather a variety of perspectives that serve as the foundation for our innitiatives and innovations.

We have fully developed the SEAL Compass, which is our curriculum, and it has been piloted in one school with an average of 300 students for the past 4 years. We are on the process of furthering developing the SEAL Dojo, which is our teachers' training courses, currently composed of 7 courses. These courses have been administered both online and offline to more than 100 teachers. We have also built the SEAL Identity (strengths' mapping and metacognitive function mapping), having piloted it with 20 students, and our online platform, currently being used by the pilot school.

Our main barrier at the moment is to enter the market in a sustainable manner while further advancing our technology, keeping the dream alive. Further understanding of the strategies to present our solution to a very traditional market is key for the sustainability of the company, therefore, overcoming that barrier will allow The Hyouman to continue working towards innovative impactful solutions in education.

Our solution represents the hope for the future of education to those who don't have access to updated modern up-to-date resources. What sets us apart is our comprehensive ecosystem, carefully crafted to accelerate educational change, nd to empower both students and teachers with the tools needed to thrive in today's world.

Within our innovation, we have three main features:

1. SEAL Compass, a digital library composed of nearly 50 meticulously curated project-based courses spanning grades 1 through 12. Unlike traditional learning materials, each project is strategically designed to develop not just academic proficiency, but also important 21st-century skills such as metacognition, social-emotional intelligence, healthy habits and routines, strengths mapping, and social-impact project management. By integrating these components into the curriculum, we're not facilitating rote memorization but cultivating lifelong learners equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern world. SEAL Compass goes beyond mere content delivery; it streamlines the administrative burdens faced by educators by providing comprehensive support for all requisite documentation mandated by the Ministry of Education in Indonesia. This allows teachers to channel their energy into what truly matters: delivering impactful lessons and nurturing their own professional growth.

2. SEAL Dojo, a resourceful library of online courses empowering teachers was designed to enhance their 21st century skills. By democratizing access to high-quality professional development opportunities, we're bridging the gap between national and international teachers, ensuring that every educator has the skills and the tools they need to excel in their role.

3. Central to our mission is the SEAL Identity, a pioneering tool that visualizes students' metacognitive functions and strengths, fostering a deeper understanding of self and empowering them to unlock their full potential. By encouraging self-awareness and personal growth, we're not just shaping students' academic trajectories but equipping them with the skills needed to thrive in an ever-evolving society.

In essence, SEAL goes beyond the conventional boundaries of education, revolutionizing and accelerating the learning experience for students and educators alike. By democratizing access to quality education and nurturing holistic development, we're not just shaping the future — we're redefining it.

Our mission is to ensure that

• students go through a learning process that ignites lifelong learning, through transferable skills such as compassion, creativity, and collaboration, preparing them for the future, without jeopardizing Indonesia’s rich culture, understanding their uniqueness, potential and that they are worthy;
• teachers are and feel supported, equipped with the right skillset, toolset and heartset, delivering quality culturally-inclusive education. Teachers become facilitators of the community, redefining their purpose and processes to nurture mastery and inspire the community; and
• schools have access to teaching and learning resources which support ESG principles, accelerating change, and transforming the teaching and learning culture.

Our Solution will

• foster the development of lifelong 21st-century skills, social-emotional intelligence, UNSDG-based projects, and strengths among students, enhancing social well-being, without jeopardizing cultural identity, through our curated curricula. The curricula, with its supporting resources, reduces educational disparities and promotes quality education across diverse communities in Indonesia, supporting sustainable development, economic growth and societal cohesion;
• increase access to quality educational resources and professional development opportunities for teachers, upskilling and mastering 21st century skills, and better equipping them to become agents of change, and facilitators of inspiring effective and efficient education; and
• facilitate the implementation of a powerful assessment process, tackling metacognitive functions and strengths, together with the ready government-required documentation, encouraging a systematic governance approach to quality education acceleration, tackling the root causes of educational challenges.

Inputs

• Digital platform development team and resources, committed to ethical and transparent governance practices.
• Curriculum materials for SEAL Compass, together with government-required documentation to support the materials, developed with considerations for cultural sensitivity, environmental sustainability, and incorporating the UNSDGs.
• Training courses for teachers through SEAL Dojo focused on promoting 21st century skills.
• Assessment tools for metacognitive function and strengths mapping (SEAL Identity) designed to respect individual uniqueness and identity.
• Collaboration with local education stakeholders, including schools, government officials, and community organizations, to ensure community engagement.

Outputs

• Project outputs that support the local community, encourage socialpreneurship, and scaffold the UNSDGs.
• Increased participation of teachers in professional development activities, promoting mental health, socialpreneurship and ESG awareness.
• Improved understanding of students' strengths and needs through metacognitive function and strengths mapping, fostering social-emotional well-being, as well as improved 21st century skills.
• Enhanced collaboration and support from local education stakeholders, contributing to sustainable community development and accelerated educational transformation.

Impact

• Enhanced teaching effectiveness and job satisfaction among teachers, driven by a commitment to ethical governance and social responsibility.
• Improved academic performance, civic accountability, emotions regulations, transferable skills abilities, and well-being of students, supported by the SEAL approach.
• Reduction in educational disparities and mental health issues among students, promoting social equity and resilience.
• Strengthened partnerships and community engagement in education initiatives, fostering sustainable development and societal cohesion.

Outcomes

• Long-term improvement in educational outcomes and development for students and teachers in Indonesia.
• Contribution to the country's economic growth and societal well-being through a skilled and socially responsible workforce.
• Potential scalability of SEAL model to other regions facing similar challenges in education, advancing global efforts toward sustainable development and social impact.

Our impact goals for SEAL are aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), including Quality Education (UNSDG 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (UNSDG 8), and Reduced Inequalities (UNSDG 10). Our primary focus is on improving educational outcomes and fostering holistic development among students, focusing on metacognitive functions, 21st century skills and strengths.

To measure our progress towards these impact goals, we employ a multifaceted approach:

• Exposure to Strength Areas: We measure students' exposure to 99 strength activities, encompassing 8 main areas of strengths (Servicing, Thinking, Reasoning, Elementary, Networking, Generating Idea,Technical and Headman), through our curriculum and assessment tools. By tracking students' engagement with diverse strengths, we aim to cultivate a well-rounded skill set that prepares them for success in academic, personal, and professional endeavors.
• Metacognitive Function Development: We assess students' metacognitive function development using a specialized assessment tool that evaluates their ability to monitor, regulate, and reflect on their learning processes. This measurement provides insights into students' cognitive growth and self-awareness, essential components of lifelong learning and critical thinking.
• Quarterly Feedback Forms: We gather qualitative data through quarterly feedback forms with students and teachers, capturing their perceptions, experiences, and suggestions for improvement. This feedback loop enables us to refine and enhance SEAL's offerings, address emerging needs, and strengthen our impact on teaching and learning outcomes.
• Data Analysis and Correlation Studies: Analyze data collected from SEAL users to identify correlations between exposure to specific content areas and students' developmental outcomes. Utilize statistical methods and data visualization techniques to explore relationships between content engagement, learning progress, and skill acquisition, drawing on existing strength-based education research findings to contextualize and interpret the results.

While we have made significant strides in measuring the direct impacts of SEAL on students and teachers, we recognize that there is still potential to measure larger-scale impacts, such as societal and systemic changes in education. We are actively seeking support and partnerships to expand our impact measurement capabilities and explore innovative approaches for assessing broader outcomes, including long-term educational attainment, social impact, and community empowerment.

By leveraging a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics, we aim to demonstrate the effectiveness and significance of SEAL in advancing educational equity, fostering inclusive growth, and contributing to sustainable development in Indonesia.

At present, our solution relies on Software and Mobile Applications technologies, complemented by the latest scientific insights into children's developmental processes. However, our vision extends beyond the present horizon. With additional support, our goal is to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI), gamification, SMS (Short Message Service), and virtual reality (VR) technologies into both teachers' and students' learning experiences. By harnessing these advanced tools, we aspire to revolutionize education, fostering more engaging and personalized learning environments that allow for the diversity of strengths of every learner.

The Hyouman is supported by 17 full-time staff.

Our journey began in January 2020 with a primary focus on curriculum development, which laid the groundwork for our current suite of solutions. Since inception, I've been actively involved alongside four original team members. Subsequently, four more colleagues joined in 2021, followed by another four in 2022, and the remaining four in 2023. 

Firstly, at the onset of our recruitment process, we prioritize fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment by placing emphasis on skills and strengths, rather than demographic factors such as age, gender, or ethnicity/background. We extend opportunities to individuals who have yet to complete their university education, provided they possess the requisite skills we seek and are open to developing their strengths. Our team members come from seven different provinces across Indonesia (East Java, Bali, Central Java, DKI Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and Riau) and represent diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Javanese, Melayu, Minangkabau, Sunda, Chinese, and myself, a Latin American of European descent, growing up and spending my adulthood in Southeast Asia.

Secondly, upon joining the company, all members participate in regular sessions aimed at fostering awareness and cultivating a shared understanding of the significance of embracing diversity and uniqueness. Two core values central to this mission are 'tailored experience' and 'healed people heal people.' Under the first, employees are encouraged to recognize and celebrate diversity, nurturing a culture that appreciates the distinctiveness of each individual. The second value underscores the importance of self-awareness and personal development, fostering physical and mental resilience through habits and practices. We firmly believe that strengthening oneself facilitates stronger interpersonal relationships and contributes to the empowerment of others.

Lastly, the company upholds inclusive policies and practices, including flexible work arrangements tailored to accommodate diverse needs through options such as flexible working hours and remote work capabilities. Sustaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment necessitates ongoing dedication and effort from all team members. We regularly ask for feedback through surveys on every program or initiative we implement, actively listening to diverse perspectives to ensure the promotion of diversity and inclusivity in a healthy and sustainable manner within our workplace.

The Hyouman is currently financed by the owner and CEO, who is deeply passionate about educational equality and has dedicated the past 15 years to improving education in Indonesia. As an angel investor and philanthropist, they have personally invested in SEAL to drive positive change in the education sector. Their commitment to advancing educational opportunities for all students has led them to leverage their resources and expertise to fund the development and implementation of SEAL. By investing their own capital into the business, they are demonstrating their dedication to creating sustainable solutions that address the critical challenges facing education in Indonesia. Their philanthropic efforts align with their vision of empowering teachers, students, and schools with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Moving forward, we aim to explore additional funding opportunities, including grants, partnerships, and impact investments, to further scale and expand the reach of SEAL and maximize its social impact.