Bridging Educational Inequality through the ACCESS Program: Empowering Indonesian High School Students’ English Proficiency and Global Competence
Keywords:
ACCESS Program, English Proficiency, Mixed-Method, Intercultural Competence, Educational Equity Merdeka CurriculumAbstract
This study examines the effects of the ACCESS Microscholarship Program, a joint effort by the Indonesia International Education Foundation (IIEF) and the Regional English Language Office (RELO), on enhancing English language proficiency among economically disadvantaged high school students in Surabaya, Sidoarjo, and Gresik. The program aimed to mitigate socioeconomic obstacles hindering students' access to high-quality English instruction via communicative, project-based, and culturally relevant methodologies. The research utilized a mixed-method approach and featured 20 participants chosen for their high enthusiasm and constrained financial resources. Quantitative data from pre- and post-assessments evaluated improvements in four linguistic competencies—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—while qualitative data from interviews and surveys examined students’ attitudes, confidence, and cross-cultural awareness. The findings indicated a substantial enhancement in all linguistic domains (p < .001; d > 1.2), as well as increased motivation, leadership, and intercultural competence. The ACCESS program successfully enabled students to develop confidence in English communication and engage as engaged global citizens, notwithstanding socioeconomic obstacles. The research indicates that inclusive, student-centered, and culturally relevant English programs help mitigate educational inequity and further Indonesia’s Merdeka Curriculum objective of cultivating critical, creative, and character-oriented learners.
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