Jakarta, July 7 -- Samuel Franklin Yawan sat quietly in a corner of the Ministry of Social Affairs retreat hall in Jakarta, wearing his dark green field uniform and black boots, still dusty from a marching session.

Amid the clinking of coffee cups and hushed conversations among fellow prospective school principals, the 45-year-old tried to steady his breath -a mix of exhaustion and nerves- after five days of military-style leadership and management training.

Franklin had traveled from the far remote areas of Papua, not merely to submit application documents but to pursue a mission to ensure that poverty is no longer a reason for children in remote areas to miss out on education and to fulfill their dreams.

For him, the solution lies in...