Singapore, October 2025 — At the prestigious EdTech Asia Summit held in Singapore, education leaders, investors, and policymakers from across Asia gathered to explore how innovation can transform access to quality learning.
Among the most anticipated sessions was “Capital and Curriculum: Strategies for Access and Affordability”, featuring Mr. Jaspal Sidhu, Founder and Chairman of SIS and Inspirasi Group of Schools. He shared how his group has built one of the region’s most scalable and sustainable education models.
Mr. Jaspal outlined the Group’s mission of Affordable Excellence, a vision to make world-class education accessible to families across both major and emerging cities without compromising on outcomes.
“We take the Singapore education system, ranked number one globally, and bring it to developing economies including Indonesia through a model that combines rigor, relevance, and affordability,” he said.
At the heart of this innovation is the World Bank Group award winning Half Fees Model, which halves tuition fees every time the Group enters a new city. This approach ensures inclusion and impact while maintaining quality.
Technology plays a pivotal role by connecting every SIS and Inspirasi campus across Indonesia through a shared digital ecosystem for curriculum, allowing seamless collaboration and consistent standards.
Mr. Jaspal also introduced the EFFECTOR Model, a research based teacher development framework co-created with Deloitte Singapore.
Drawing insights from human resource practices across 25 leading global corporations, the model defines eight essential attributes, including Humour and Open mindedness, that enhance teacher effectiveness and student engagement.
“Our biggest insight was simple: hire for attitude, train for skills,” Mr. Jaspal explained. “In smaller cities, teachers come from the very communities they serve, and their motivation is deeply personal.”
Beyond the World Bank Group’s award for transformative work in education, Cambridge University Press and Assessment recently recognized SIS and Inspirasi Schools as setting a new global benchmark for international quality education.
Their independent review highlighted the Group’s ability to balance academic rigor, well-being, and affordability, proving that excellence can be inclusive.
Mr. Jaspal emphasized that supportive Indonesian government policies have been crucial to the Group’s success.
Indonesia’s decentralization and the Kurikulum Merdeka philosophy empower schools to innovate, blending international best practices with local values and priorities.
“Policy has been a catalyst, not a constraint,” he said. “It pushes us to be transparent, inclusive, and locally relevant, which makes our model scalable and sustainable.”
In closing, Mr. Jaspal highlighted the importance of collaboration between public, private, and philanthropic sectors to sustain impact at scale.
“Education cannot rely on one source of funding. The next wave of affordability will be driven by blended capital, where purpose aligns with policy and private investment.”
The EdTech Asia Summit 2025 reaffirmed the growing reputation of SIS and Inspirasi Schools as a global case study in inclusive education innovation.
Their journey demonstrates that quality and affordability are not opposites, but partners when designed with purpose, shaping the future of education across Asia and beyond.
Visit sisschools.org/academics to learn more about how we build internationally benchmarked learning experiences that prepare students for the future.
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