Jaspal Sidhu
I spoke this week at the EduTech Asia Conference at the Sands Expo in Singapore — one of the region’s largest gatherings of schools and EdTech companies exploring innovative solutions shaping the future of education.
My message was in education, technology is not the hero — people are. Classrooms are not transformed by screens or software alone, but by the teachers who use them with purpose. At our schools, our mission has always been Affordable Excellence: making quality education accessible and relevant to all, especially in smaller and emerging cities across Indonesia and beyond. Technology is how we scale that mission — but never at the expense of the human connection at its heart.
For us, the question has never been what technology should we buy, but rather what do we want technology to do. Our answer: to unify our culture, connect our people, and deliver consistent student outcomes — whether in Jakarta, Yangon, Chennai, Medan or Sidoarjo.
We use technology to build a collaborative ecosystem. Every one of our schools is linked through digital platforms where teachers share ideas, best practices, and even lesson plans in real time. A teacher in an emerging city can co-plan a project with a colleague hundreds of kilometres away, access professional-development sessions online, or join a structured mentoring network. We’ve created an internal “shared classroom” that dissolves isolation — because collaboration drives quality.
We’ve also built transparent data systems. Principals can see academic and operational dashboards across the group — comparing performance, budgets, and teacher-training outcomes. When schools share data openly, learning accelerates. Technology helps us make decisions based on evidence, not assumptions.
But none of this works without the right people. That’s why we focus on hiring and training what we call EFFECTOR teachers — those who are Earnest, Funny, Firm, Enthusiastic, Consistent, Timely, Open-minded, and Research-minded. In partnership with Deloitte Singapore, we created a data-driven playbook to identify and nurture these attributes. When an EFFECTOR teacher uses technology, it becomes a multiplier of empathy and engagement, not a distraction.
During COVID-19, this philosophy was tested. While many schools struggled, we invested more in our teachers — looking after every one of them, even offering them free Spotify and Netflix subscriptions — because happy teachers teach better. In return, they delivered some of the best online learning results we’ve ever seen, with student satisfaction rising above 90 %. While other schools were losing students, our enrollment was increasing.
Today, across all our schools in Indonesia, Myanmar, and India, our teachers use technology not just to teach, but to humanize learning. From data dashboards to AI-powered feedback tools, from shared professional-development networks to hybrid classrooms, our ecosystem ensures no school operates in isolation — and no child is left behind.
Technology is not the destination. It is the bridge — connecting people, ideas, and purpose. And when placed in the hands of selfless, enthusiastic teachers, it doesn’t just change lessons. It changes lives.
Summary:
This article highlights how schools integrate technology to enhance, not replace, the human element in education. Guided by the mission of Affordable Excellence, the schools leverage digital platforms, transparent data systems, and AI tools to connect educators and improve student outcomes across Indonesia, Myanmar, and India. Central to this approach is the cultivation of EFFECTOR teachers — educators who are purposeful, empathetic, and research-minded. During the COVID-19 crisis, this philosophy proved its strength, sustaining teacher well-being and student success. Ultimately, technology serves as a bridge that unites people, ideas, and purpose, transforming classrooms and changing lives
