From Isolation to Inclusion: Does Digital Adoption Enhance Educational Access in Indonesia’s 3T Areas?

This study aims to analyze how digital adoption, such as internet access and ownership of technological devices, contributes to the educational continuity of children in Disadvantaged, Frontier, and Outermost or Tertinggal, Terdepan, and Terluar (3T) regions. The research employs the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method using SUSENAS 2022 data, which enables comparisons between households in 3T and non-3T regions with similar socio-economic characteristics to isolate the impact of digital adoption on educational access. The findings reveal that, after matching, there is no statistically significant difference in school participation between children in 3T and non-3T regions, as long as households have comparable access to technology and similar socio-economic conditions. When 3T households have internet connectivity, ownership of digital devices, and access to social protection on par with their non-3T counterparts, their children are just as likely to attend school. The implication is that policies focused solely on spatial targeting may overlook children in need outside 3T boundaries and overgeneralize those within them. As a result, educational interventions must shift toward multidimensional and needs-based strategies that prioritize digital inclusion, income security, and tailored social support.