School Digitalization Policy and Learning Inequality in Indonesia’s 3T Regions: A Systematic Literature Review

Weni Sarbaini; Emilda Sulasmi; Amini Amini

doi:10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9111

School Digitalization Policy and Learning Inequality in Indonesia’s 3T Regions: A Systematic Literature Review

Weni Sarbaini, Emilda Sulasmi, Amini Amini

Abstract

Educational digitalization has become a policy priority in Indonesia, particularly as a strategy to expand access and reduce educational inequality in disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. However, infrastructure gaps, limited connectivity, low teacher readiness, and weak school ecosystem support indicate that digitalization does not automatically produce equitable learning. This study systematically analyzes the relationship between school digitalization policy and learning inequality in primary schools located in Indonesia's 3T regions. Using a systematic literature review incorporating grey literature and guided by PRISMA 2020, this study analyzes 20 selected sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles, selected conference papers, and official reports or grey literature, through selection, quality appraisal, data extraction, and thematic synthesis. The findings show that school digitalization has a dual effect. It can expand access to learning resources, increase learning flexibility, and support pedagogical innovation. However, it can also reproduce learning inequality when implemented without adequate attention to infrastructure readiness, teachers' digital competence, household access, learning content quality, and school managerial capacity. Learning inequality in digitalized primary schools in 3T regions appears in unequal internet access, device availability, electricity, family support, pedagogical interaction, and learning outcomes. This study emphasizes the need for contextual, gradual, and needs-based digitalization strategies so that school digitalization strengthens the learning ecosystem rather than merely distributing technological devices.

Keywords

school digitalization; learning inequality; 3T regions

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9111