In the same room where the stories of navigating programmes, politics, structures, and personal struggles were shared, another thread quietly wove its way through the conversation. On that warm June morning in Hyderabad, as practitioners from across Telangana reflected on what it takes to work with the public education system, they found themselves returning, again and again, to something less visible, but deeply felt.
In education, especially when working within government structures, we often focus on the visible markers of progress: policies, plans, data, schemes, and outcomes. These are the bricks and beams of system work; measurable, trackable, and often used to define success.
But what often goes unnoticed are the things that quietly hold all of this together, the invisible infrastructure – Trust.
Trust, which is built slowly through shared intent, consistent follow-through, and honest conversations. It’s what makes coordination possible and what sustains action despite constraints. It is what allows people across roles and organisations to take small risks toward something better.
The group answered the following questions, plainly and honestly: When is trust enabled for you? And what happens when it’s no longer there?
What followed was a shared reckoning, an honest and grounded reflection on what trust means for the practitioners. Here’s a glimpse:
“I trust people who follow through. Not the ones who say the right things — the ones who do what they said they would.”
“I trust people who tell the truth, even when it’s not convenient. Especially when they say it to my face, not behind my back.”
“Sometimes I don’t trust the whole person — just a part. Their intent. Their accountability. That’s enough to move forward.”
In the field, these aren’t abstract ideas. They show up when:
- A district official honours a commitment
- A partner shares a concern early, before it grows into a conflict
- A facilitator makes a mistake and owns it
- A colleague listens, even in disagreement, and doesn’t walk away
This is the kind of trust that makes any work sustainable.
Why trust matters for education CSOs
Organisations working in education, especially inside public systems, operate with constant unpredictability. Government calendars shift – a planned training gets postponed because of an exam schedule announced at the last minute. Implementation isn’t always linear – a program that starts in one district smoothly faces resistance in another, even with the same set of approvals.
What keeps things moving is relationships built on trust, with officials, teachers, communities, and each other. This is what the practitioners wanted to reflect :
“We’ve managed entire programmes because someone in the department said, ‘I’ll make sure this reaches the school.’ And they made it happen.”
I’ve trusted a team to handle something I didn’t agree with fully — but I knew they cared. That helped me stay with it.”
In these contexts, trust allows for distributed leadership. For decisions to be made in the field. For partners to stretch for collaboration and support.
Without it, everything bottlenecks.
And what happens when trust slips?
It’s not always dramatic but some small shifts:
- Fewer questions in meetings
- Delayed responses
- Smiles that don’t quite reach the eyes (or worse, no smiles)
- People stop sharing what’s not working
- Feedback becomes vague
- Decisions get made quietly, not collectively
And slowly, the energy that once moved a team — or a partnership — begins to dissipate. The work might continue. But it becomes heavier. Slower. Safer. In all the wrong ways.
Because when trust erodes people don’t just protect themselves, they stop stretching when it’s needed the most. They stop risking disagreement. They stop imagining better ways. They do only what’s required.
And that costs more than we think.
What does trust enable?
When trust holds, it opens up space for what system strengthening truly needs:
- Curiosity: People ask questions without fear – which means issues don’t stay buried, assumptions get challenged, and better decisions can be made together.
- Transparency: Individuals communicate concerns and observations early in the process, rather than after the fact, enabling timely adjustments and more informed decision-making.
- Speed: Teams move without waiting for reassurance.
- Resilience: Missteps aren’t fatal, because repair is part of the practice.
Carrying Trust Forward
This conversation gave us reminders. Things we already know, but need to keep returning to.
- That trust begins with clarity of intention and communication.
- That it is earned over time, and lost faster than we realise.
- That it requires us to persist, not just when things are working, but when they’re not.
- That trust is the groundwork, not added or extra effort.
Without trust, the rest doesn’t matter.
Note: This reflection is drawn from a conversation among education practitioners who have come together under the Telangana Education Leadership Collective (TELC) — a platform for organisations working closely with the public education system in the state of Telangana. The meeting, held in Hyderabad in June 2025, created space for honest dialogue on what it means to work within the system as a collective.
Participants:
- Abhijit Biswas – Bharat Dekho
- Fathima Sali – ShikshaLokam
- Nikshith Gangadevi – Shikshagraha
- Omkarnath Mummadisetty – Digital Equity
- Pavan Kumar Kolli – Future Dots
- Ravali Pidaparthi – Esther
- Saipramod Bathena – Alokit
- Syed Ziaur Rahim – InquiLab
- Vinay R Sanjivi – ShikshaLokam
- Yogitha Pelluri – ShikshaLokam
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