Draft:Iwan Syahril

Iwan Syahril
Director General of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Secondary Education
Incumbent
Assumed office 2020
Personal details
Born	(1976-10-26) October 26, 1976 Padang
Nationality	Indonesia
Spouse	Xanty Dwi Putri
Alma mater	Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Columbia University, Michigan State University

Iwan Syahril (born on October 26, 1976) is an education practitioner who currently serves as the Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Secondary Education (PAUD Dikdasmen) assisting the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem Makarim.

The educator who was born into a family of teachers from the city of Padang, West Sumatra is the eldest son of Syahril Kasim and Syafrida who are Minangkabau descendants. His father was a very popular English teacher in the city of Padang in the 1960s-1990s, while his mother is a descendant of a farmer family from Batusangkar. In addition to his father, many of Iwan's family members work as teachers, both civil servant teachers and honorary teachers, ranging from uncles, aunties, cousins, to his brothers and sisters-in-law. His love for education made him choose to become a teacher and delve into the field of teacher education. After becoming the Special Staff to the Minister of Learning and the Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel, the father of two children was inaugurated by the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim as the current Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Secondary Education (PAUD Dikdasmen).

Education

1. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), International Relations. Universitas Padjajaran (1993-1998)
2. M.Pd. (incomplete), Graduate Program in English Education. Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) (2003-2005)
3. Master of Arts (M.A.), Secondary Education. Teachers College, Columbia University (2006-2008)
4. Master of Education (Ed.M.), Curriculum and Teaching. Teachers College, Columbia University (2008-2009)
5. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Curriculum, Istruction, and Teacher Education. Michigan State University (2011-2016)
6. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Education Policy. Michigan State University (2012-2016)

Family

Iwan married Xanty Dwi Putri, ST in 2001 and has two children, namely Shakila Aliyahputri Syahril and Iqra Hatta Syahril.

Career

1. Manager and EFL Teacher at The Institute of English Service (I.E.S.), Padang, Indonesia from March 1995 until May 1995.
2. Teacher Assistant at WL McLeod Elementary School, British Columbia, Canada from Aug 1996 until Dec 1996
3. Teacher at SD Beringin, Minahasa, North Sulawesi, Indonesia from Dec 1996 until March 1997
4. Teacher at Bandung English Institute, Bandung, Indonesia from Jul 1997 until Aug 1998
5. Director at The Institute of English Service (I.E.S.), Padang, Indonesia from Jun 1999 until Nov 1999
6. Senior Teacher at EF English First from Aug 1998 until Feb 2005
7. Self employed at Indonesian Language Tutor from Jan 1999 until Feb 2005
8. Program Manager at Yayasan Bina Anak Kebanggaan Bangsa, Bandung, Indonesia from Mar 2005 until Apr 2006
9. English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher at Teachers College, Columbia University from Jan 2007 until May 2007
10. Scholar-in-Residence at Scarsdale Public Schools, New York from Mar 2008 until Jun 2009
11. Educational Studies Department Coordinator, Sampoerna School of Education at Sampoerna Foundation from Jan 2011 until Jun 2011
12. Educational Studies Lecturer, Sampoerna School of Education at Sampoerna Foundation from Sep 2009 until Aug 2011
13. Research Assistant (Teacher competencies and expertise) at Michigan State University from Jun 2013 until May 2014
14. Assistant Course Coordinator at Michigan State University from Aug 2014 until May 2015
15. Research Consultant (Classroom Observation Videos) at Educational Testing Service (ETS) from Jan 2016 until May 2016
16. Research Assistant (Experimental Studies on Teacher Professional Development) at College of Education at Michigan State University from Sep 2011 until Nov 2012
17. Course Instructor (Master's Level Courses) at College of Education at Michigan State University from Sep 2011 until Aug 2016
18. Research Assistant (Globalization and Teacher Education) at Michigan State University from Aug 2015 until Aug 2016
19. Learning Technology Advisory Committee at Sampoerna Schools System from Dec 2016 until Aug 2017
20. Tim Pengembangan Modul-Modul Kompetensi Kepribadian dan Sosial at Dinas Pendidikan DKI Jakarta from Mar 2017 until Aug 2017
21. Consultant at UNDP from Jan 2018 until Mar 2018
22. Consultant at UNDP from May 2019 until Jun 2019
23. Subject Matter Expert at National Accreditation Board for K-12 Schools (BAN-SM) from Mar 2019 until Oct 2019
24. Head of the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum Development at Sampoerna University from Aug 2016 - Aug 2017
25. Head of the Institute for Learning, Teaching, Research, and Outreach (ILTRO) at Sampoerna University from Jul 2017 until Dec 2017
26. Steering Commitee for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commision of Colleges at Sampoerna University from Oct 2016 until Oct 2019
27. Director of Institutional Research and Quality Assurance at Sampoerna University from Jul 2017 until Oct 2019
28. Dean of Faculty of Education at Sampoerna University from Mar 2019 until Nov 2019
29. Assistant Professor of Teacher Education and Education Policy at Sampoerna University from Aug 2016 until Dec 2019
30. Co-Founder of Pusat Studi Pendidikan dan Kebijakan (PSPK) [Center for Education and Policy Studies] from Aug 2016 until May 2020
31. Chair of G20 Education Working Group from Nov 2021 until Nov 2022
32. Special Staff to the Minister (Staf Khusus Menteri) at Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia) from Oct 2019 until May 2020
33. Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel (Direktur Jenderal Guru dan Tenaga Kependidikan) at Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia) from May 2020 until Sep 2022
34. Director General of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Secondary Education at Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia) from May 2022 until present time

Iwan had been teaching English from 1995 to 2005 before he started his career as an honorary teacher in non-formal education. He had been teaching English in various educational institutions for most of his career as a teacher. He was also an assistant teacher at W.L. McLeod Elementary School in Vanderhoof, British Columbia in Canada as a part of the Indonesia Canada Youth Exchange (PPIK) program in 1996. After completing his graduate program at Teachers College, Columbia University, Iwan received an offer to teach at Scarsdale Public Schools, New York, one of the best school districts in the United States. He teaches a variety of classes in 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school in Scarsdale, New York.

During his undergraduate education at Michigan State University, Iwan taught several post-graduate classes and became an administrator in the Secondary Education Teacher Education Program in the College of Education. Teacher Education at Michigan State University has been the best teacher education in the United States, ranking top for 26 consecutive years since 1995 according to U.S. News and World Report. The new release still places Michigan State University's teacher education program as the best for elementary and secondary education.

Iwan had a career as a lecturer at Universitas Siswa Bangsa Internasional or now known as Sampoerna University. Iwan was also involved in several teacher training programs conducted by the Putera Sampoerna Foundation in various regions in Indonesia. Iwan has served as the Coordinator of Educational Sciences, the Coordinator of the Center for Learning, Teaching and Curriculum Development, the Director of Institutional Research and Quality Assurance, and the Dean of the Faculty of Education. Together with several fellow lecturers on his campus, he once wrote the book Opportunities and Challenges of 21st Century Education.

As a researcher, Iwan was a consultant for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in 2016, with a research project related to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) Video Study, an international research collaboration between RAND, DIPF, and ETS. This research focuses on the use of classroom observation videos, and is funded by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Iwan is one of the founders and researcher at the Center for Education and Policy Studies (PSPK), an independent non-profit research and advocacy institution engaged in education policy in Jakarta. Iwan has been a presenter at leading educational conferences such as the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, and the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference. Among the scientific publications that Iwan has written 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 is a member of the team that designed the social competency and personality teacher training for the DKI Jakarta Education Office in 2017. In 2019, Iwan was a member of the expert team at the National Accreditation Board for Schools and Madrasah (BAN-SM). Iwan has also been a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jakarta, designing the SDGs Leadership Academy curriculum. On May 8, 2020, Iwan was inaugurated as the Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel, and was inaugurated on September 8, 2022 as the current Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Secondary Education assisting the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim.

Although Iwan has played many roles in his career, including when he was the Director General of GTK and the current Director General of PAUD Dasmen, his main identity is a teacher.

While serving as the Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel, Iwan actively oversaw and supported the strategic programs of the Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim through the Freedom to Learn policy, especially programs that are in favor of and directly related to teachers and education personnel. Iwan directly participated in designing and initiating the presence of programs in the context of education transformation in Indonesia.

Iwan Syahril with Ambassador of Ukraine to Indonesia H.E. Gr. Vasyl Hamianin

In designing these programs, Iwan was inspired and explored the concept and philosophy of education of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, the Father of National Education. Iwan is well aware that education is a seedbed of cultural seeds and to achieve the civilization of a nation that aspires to education, education is the main foundation. This is always revealed by Iwan in every speech regarding the philosophy of Freedom of Learn policy. He realized that the work done at the Ministry of Education and Culture, not only for children to be able to go to school, achieve good test scores, and others, but also to pick up the culture that they aspire together, the work to form a civilization.

In carrying out his duties as Director General of GTK, Iwan often goes directly to various regions with the Minister of Education and Culture to monitor the strategic programs of the Ministry of Education and Culture, especially related to teachers and education personnel. Iwan directly picked up the aspirations of teachers in various regions as a form of concern as well as to encourage teachers to collaborate together in improving education in Indonesia.

Iwan Syahril in G20 Education Working Group

His love for education, especially teachers, in the field of teacher education, and Iwan's efforts to transform Indonesia's education made him lined up as the Chair of the Education Working Group (EdWG) of G20 Indonesia 2022. Iwan led a series of G20 EdWG agendas throughout 2022 in order to present a quality education system for all. In this agenda, Iwan will also lead a discussion to discuss four priority agendas, to produce the right solutions in overcoming global education issues that are currently occurring.

In addition to his role as the Chair of the G20 Indonesia Education Working Group, he was also elected as the Steering Committee at the Teacher Task Force, UNESCO. TTF is an independent global alliance that works to focus on teacher’s problems. The Alliance is dedicated to raising awareness, expanding knowledge and supporting countries on the questions and themes raised in target 4.c SDG 4.

Iwan's example in improving competence and dedication to the world of education has also earned him a Doctor of Honoris Causa degree in Humanities from Michigan State University. The title was immediately conferred by MSU President, Stanley, in East Lansing, Michigan. The awarding of this degree is also seen as an event that has an inspiring effect on teachers in Indonesia, because of Iwan's example in encouraging and inviting teachers to continue to study and learn.

Educational transformation for Iwan is the key to overcoming education problems in Indonesia. Iwan believes that collaboration, mutual cooperation, and encouraging teachers to empower, share and learn from each other are important parts in overcoming this problem.