NAMA Foundation's Educational Impact: Review of NAMA International Journal of Education and Development Volumes 1 & 2

Abstract

This review synthesizes the studies published across Volumes 1 and 2 of the NAMA International Journal of Education and Development, highlighting the NAMA Foundation’s contributions to educational transformation in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania. The research spans four key themes: teacher development, student empowerment and 21st-century skills, financial sustainability in Islamic educational institutions, and stakeholder-driven school quality assessment. Methodologies range from structural equation modeling and classroom observation to stakeholder surveys and case studies, all underpinned by the NAMA Theory of Change. Key findings show that professional development, especially the ROOTS program, has measurably enhanced teacher competency and classroom innovation, while student agency is fostered through integrated academic and extracurricular pathways. Financial sustainability is advanced by Shariah-compliant instruments and community-based funding, though challenges in local capacity and regulatory environments remain. Parental engagement and values-based assessment frameworks emerge as critical to holistic school quality. The studies call for improved demographic and qualitative data, contextualized interventions, and longitudinal research to better assess impact and equity. Collectively, this body of work affirms the strategic role of values-driven, research-informed approaches in advancing equitable, quality education in the Global South.