Our Story
The Quest to Bring Affordable Excellence to Every Community
Education lifts societies and transforms futures. It strengthens communities, builds talent, and gives every child a fair chance to succeed. Yet for too long, world-class schooling has been concentrated in capital cities, leaving communities in smaller and emerging cities and towns behind. Inspirasi Schools was established to change this.
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Inspirasi Schools story began long before the brand existed.
It began with a conviction shaped by the life of its Founder and Chairman, Jaspal Sidhu. As the son of a doorman in Singapore, Jaspal understood from childhood what education means to working-class families: it is the one force that can change a life forever.
While working across Indonesia as an engineer, he witnessed the stark education divide between capitals, big cities, and smaller districts. His travels beyond Indonesia revealed that this was not just an Indonesian issue. Across the world, emerging cities and towns faced the same struggles: limited access, uneven quality, and teachers with little exposure to international best practices.
These realities shaped his life’s purpose. Affordable Excellence became his mission.
He established the first Singapore International School—now Singapore Intercultural School in 1996—with the encouragement of the then members of the Singapore Government The foundation of the first SIS school was set by Singapore’s premier school, Raffles Institution, the alma mater of Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and that of Jaspal Sidhu.
In the years that followed, the SIS Group grew through strategic partnerships with the World Bank Group and other funders expanding across Indonesia, India, and Myanmar. In 2019, SIS received the prestigious World Bank Group award for transformational impact in education.
But one question continued to push Jaspal forward:
If a programme is truly good, shouldn’t it work for every community—not just capital cities?
Inspirasi Schools was created to answer that question.
To succeed in smaller and emerging cities, Jaspal knew he had to solve the challenge of teacher quality. The findings were unmistakable: great teachers are defined more by attitude than by just experience and skill. To reimagine teacher excellence, he partnered with Deloitte (Singapore) to create the EFFECTOR Model—an evidence-based framework built around eight attributes, including humour and open-mindedness, proven to strengthen student–teacher relationships.
After demonstrating the model’s viability to potential strategic partners through the success of SIS Palembang and SIS Cilegon, the first Inspirasi school in Sidoarjo, East Java, was opened in partnership with the Family Office of the Japfa Group, founded by Hadojo Santosa. New schools followed swiftly. Its rapid growth earned recognition from Deloitte in 2024 for its impact.
This momentum then carried Inspirasi Schools together with SIS onto the world stage at the ASEAN KL Summit in 2025, where their success story was shared with global and regional leaders. Today, Inspirasi Schools is attracting partners across Indonesia, India, and even Africa.
As Jaspal often says:
“I did it with SIS. I will do it again with Inspirasi.”
How It All Started?
My journey into education was personal. My father was a doorman (satpam) and my mother a homemaker in Singapore. They worked tirelessly to give us the education they never had.
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Work took me to Indonesia, a nation of stunning beauty and rich culture, but also a place where the education system faced deep challenges. I saw that quality education was often a privilege of the few.
That’s why, in 1996, with encouragement from Singapore’s leadership, I founded the Singapore Intercultural School (SIS) in Indonesia, with the support of Singapore’s premier school, Raffles Institution. Through strategic partnerships with the World Bank Group and like-minded impact investors, SIS has grown to every major city in Indonesia and is now expanding beyond its borders to other Southeast Asian nations, India, and beyond.
The results speak for themselves: our schools consistently outperform global averages, sending graduates to leading universities worldwide. Recognition from the World Bank (IFC) and the Financial Times has affirmed what we have always believed—our model works.
In 2024, I launched Inspirasi school to extend our mission into emerging cities, delivering the same high standards, values, and innovations. Recognizing that the greatest challenge would be finding and developing the right educators, we partnered with Deloitte (Singapore) to create the EFFECTOR Model. Drawing on research-proven talent development practices from beyond the education sector, this model equips teachers with key attributes that foster strong student connections—connections that drive better learning outcomes. It has become the engine powering our expansion into new and underserved communities.
For me, this is not a business. It is a promise—to give every child, no matter where they are born, a real chance to succeed.
Jaspal Sidhu
Founder & Chairman
SIS & Inspirasi Group of Schools
Our Values
A value-based education is an integral part of any school program, and therefore our core values are reflected in the way we do things and interact. Our values foster a climate across all our schools providing everyone a sense of purpose and engagement as well as a safe, caring and supportive environment.
Inspirasi Schools values are embodied in the acronym REACH, as our learners work to reach their full potential with a voice of conscience.
R
Respect
We prioritize respect by embracing diversity, fostering genuine care, and promoting understanding.
E
Empathy
We express empathy by understanding the experiences of others, showing genuine concern,and actively listening.
A
Aspire
We encourage our learners to dream big, develop skills, and take practical steps to achieve their goals.
C
Courage
We empower our learners to face challenges with courage and resilience, while also standing up for their beliefs.
H
Honesty
We emphasize honesty as a core value in building relationships and to advocate for the disadvantaged.
Inspirasi Schools Founder
Jaspal Sidhu
Jaspal Sidhu is the Founder and Chairman of the SIS & Inspirasi Group of Schools—one of Southeast Asia’s most respected education networks, with a growing presence in Indonesia, India, Myanmar, and new markets across the region. As an engineer, Jaspal has spent more than three decades working across the Indonesian archipelago.
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Jaspal Sidhu, a Singaporean, holds an Engineering degree from the National University of Singapore and an MBA (with Distinction) from the University of Hull, UK. After a long career in the mining and construction sector in Indonesia, he redirected his life’s mission toward expanding access to high-quality, affordable K–12 education for working families in both major cities and emerging towns.
He is the Founder and Chairman of the SIS & Inspirasi Group of Schools—one of Southeast Asia’s most respected education networks, with a growing presence in Indonesia, India, Myanmar, and new markets across the region. SIS schools serve middle-income families in larger cities, while Inspirasi Schools bring international-standard education to communities in smaller and emerging cities.
The Group’s growth has been powered by strategic partnerships with the World Bank Group and impact funds. The Group’s work has been widely recognised by many international awards. Some are:
- World Bank Group (IFC) – Financial Times (UK) Award (2019) for transformational work in education
- Deloitte Singapore (2024) recognition as one of Southeast Asia’s most impactful organisations
- Cambridge University (2025) acknowledgement— after an independent review—of the Group as a new global benchmark in affordable international education
Jaspal is also a nominee for the 2024 INSEAD–Hoffman Institute Stewardship Award for responsible leadership. He previously served on a joint committee with Harvard University and the World Bank Group (IFC) to develop principles around ‘Ethics in Education’ for development banks.
As a thought leader, Jaspal is frequently invited to deliver keynotes at major global platforms, including Cambridge conferences, IB summits, and international education and investment forums. He has spoken at events in San Francisco, Singapore, Cape Town, Dubai, and Thailand, and recently shared the stage with global and regional leaders at the ASEAN KL Summit.
He is also a regular presence at major technology and EdTech conferences, including a recent Samsung keynote, and is a frequent contributor to regional media and newspapers on issues shaping education.
Beyond his sector leadership, Jaspal advises the Indonesian Education Forum—a policy think-tank guiding national education reforms—briefs senior executives and diplomats on operating in Indonesia, and serves on the Governing Council of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia as well as the International Business Chamber in Jakarta.
Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Jaspal adds a unique dimension to his profile as a three-time amateur stand-up comedy champion in Indonesia.
Our 3P‘s
People, Program and Place
Why the 3Ps
At Inspirasi Schools, our strength comes from the 3Ps: People, Program, and Place.
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We invest first in People — community-rooted teachers trained through our research-backed innovative modeld and guided by proven leadership.
Our Program blends Cambridge rigor, Singapore-style conceptual learning, and the and the Home Country’s curriculum to deliver affordable excellence in every city we serve.
Our Place philosophy ensures that every Inspirasi campus is safe, inspiring, and designed for collaboration and future-ready learning.
Together, the 3Ps create a unified culture and a world-class school experience — accessible, impactful, and built for emerging cities.
People
At Inspirasi Schools, everything begins with People.
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We believe great schools are built by great individuals — leaders, teachers, and support teams who share a deep responsibility to uplift their communities. Inspirasi Schools is guided by experienced leaders who helped build the award-winning SIS schools across Indonesia and other emerging economies, ensuring that every new campus benefits from proven governance, consistency, and culture.
Our teachers are selected and developed through the research-backed EFFECTOR model, which focuses on the attitudes that drive strong student–teacher connections: Earnestness, Funny (Humor), Firmness, Enthusiasm, Consistency, Timeliness, Open-mindedness and Research-mindedness.
We hire for attitude and grow for excellence. Professional development is embedded into daily practice. Teachers receive coaching, mentoring, and targeted training built on data — classroom observations, student feedback, and performance insights that guide each teacher’s growth journey.
By investing deeply in people, Inspirasi Schools builds purpose-driven educators and leaders who create safe, joyful, and high-impact schools where every child is known and supported.
Program
Our Program is built on a promise: world-class learning, made accessible for every city we serve.
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Inspirasi Schools blends the world’s top-ranked Singapore education system with the global rigor of Cambridge International and the cultural grounding of the Home Country’s national curriculum. This creates a balanced, future-ready academic model where students gain strong conceptual understanding, multilingual ability, and a deep sense of identity.
Learning is holistic. Beyond strong academics, students experience a rich programme of sports, arts, music, and chess, a core element of our character and strategic-thinking development. Chess sharpens focus, strengthens decision-making, and reinforces resilience — qualities we value deeply.
Our classrooms integrate project-based learning aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), giving students opportunities to tackle real problems, practise teamwork, and build global awareness.
At the heart of our academic design is PACE — our Desired Student Learning Outcomes: Perseverance, Analytical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication, and Entrepreneurship. In an technology driven world, these skills matter more than ever. They equip students to think critically, work effectively with others, communicate with clarity, stay resilient through challenges, and develop the initiative to create solutions and lead with purpose.
English sits at the centre of our programme — not just as a subject, but as a gateway to global communication, higher education, and opportunity.
Together, our Program ensures that Inspirasi students are academically strong, emotionally grounded, and globally ready.
Place
Place matters — because the environment shapes how children learn, behave, and feel.
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Every Inspirasi campus is built around our five design philosophies.
As a Community School, it is warm, welcoming, and closely connected to families — a hub that supports student well-being and a strong sense of belonging.
As a Resilient School, we offer innovation hubs, sports facilities, and art studios that nurture creativity, confidence, and resilience through movement, performance, and hands-on exploration.
Our Future School approach features flexible classrooms, collaboration zones, and digital-ready environments that support project-based learning and modern pedagogy.
As a Green School, we practise practical sustainability — efficient water systems, smart utility management, and environmentally conscious design that reduces waste and long-term costs.
Finally, as a Model School, every Inspirasi campus is a showcase for educators and partners to see what a safe, future-ready, affordable school looks like.
Each campus is designed for pride, safety, and student well-being.
The Inspirasi Schools Teachers
Inspirasi Schools will hire the best teachers with the right attitudes and attributes.
Every Inspirasi Schools teacher will be an EFFECTOR.
E
Earnest
Inspirasi Schools teachers will be consistent in their behavior. They will be fair and just creating a stable, calm and secure learning environment.
F
Funny
Inspirasi Schools teachers will have a sense of humour enabling learning to be interesting and enjoyable.
F
Firm
Inspirasi Schools teachers will have a good control of a class to create a friendly, safe, open and respectful environment.
E
Enthusiastic
Inspirasi Schools teachers will be enthusiastic and will encourage curiosity and motivation in students leading by example.
C
Consistent
Inspirasi Schools teachers will be consistent in their behavior. They will be fair and just creating a stable, calm and secure learning environment.
T
Timeliness
Inspirasi Schools teachers will have excellent time management skills and will encourage students to also demonstrate this important skill.
O
Open Minded
Inspirasi Schools teachers will be unprejudiced and open minded. They will be considering and encouraging new ideas all the time.
R
Researchers
Inspirasi Schools teachers will be knowledgeable, as they will be keen researchers to continuously develop themselves as lifetime learners.
We Support Local Communities
We grow with partners who share our mission—combining capital, expertise, and purpose to expand affordable excellence and uplift communities across diverse cities. We collaborate with partners across these key groups:
Real Estate Developers
They anchor new communities and provide strategic locations, enabling our schools to attract families, enhance township value, and accelerate regional development.
Family Offices
They bring patient capital, long-term vision, and mission alignment—supporting sustainable expansion while championing high-impact education for communities in small and emerging cities.
Impact Funds
They invest in scalable solutions that lift outcomes for working families, backing our affordable excellence model to deliver measurable, long-term social impact.
Conglomerates
They partner with us to give back to their own communities, uplifting the cities and towns that once shaped them and expanding impact through education-driven growth.
Development Banks
They support inclusive growth, financing projects that strengthen human capital, improve education equity, and uplift underserved cities through sustainable, mission-driven investments.
Public-Private Partnerships
They connect government priorities with private innovation, enabling teacher training, capacity building, and scalable models that dramatically extend our impact.
