FOR FOCUS ISSUE-PRESCHOOL<\/p>\n
Sudibyo M. Wiradji
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Helping kids to be creative through Si Komo<\/p>\n
Though there is a growing interest among upper-class parents
\nto send their children to preschools with a Western curriculum,
\nthere are still a few schools offering specifically Indonesian
\ncurriculum that continue to receive a good response from the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
Among these are the preschools under the umbrella of the
\nMutiara Foundation and the Mentari Foundation. The foundations
\nrun play groups and kindergartens where children not only play
\nwhile learning, but also savor the pleasure of recognizing some
\ninitial aspects of Indonesian culture at an early stage.<\/p>\n
While such animal characters taken from Western culture as
\nDonald Duck and Mickey Mouse decorate most play groups and
\nkindergartens, the preschools run by the foundations feature a
\nkomodo dragon popularly known as Si Komo, a central character
\ntaken from children's tales written by Seto Mulyadi, the founder
\nof the foundations.<\/p>\n
Basically, a Western curriculum and the curriculum offered by
\nSeto Mulyadi, better known as Kak Seto, both allow children to be
\ncreative and active so that they will grow and develop.<\/p>\n
"Preschools should be pleasing places that offer children
\nalternatives in activities," said Kak Seto, who chairs the
\nfoundations and the National Commission on Children's Rights.<\/p>\n
The preschools managed by the foundations also provide a
\nvariety of traditional Indonesian games, such as ular tangga
\n(snake and leather).<\/p>\n
"The games not only stimulate the children's creativity but
\nalso make them emotionally and spiritually better," he said.
\n"With these games, the children are expected to be proud of
\nbecoming an Indonesian, which allows them to appreciate their own
\nculture and helps promote their sense of patriotism and
\nnationalism."<\/p>\n
The rapid growth of the Kak Seto preschools is partly the
\nresult of the fact that parents agree with the schools'
\neducational principles, which encourage children, blessed with
\ntheir respective skills and potentials, to grow and to be
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n
"Our guiding principle is based on the belief that all
\nchildren are basically intelligent, creative and superior. And so
\nwe just provide fertile soil for the superior seeds to grow," Kak
\nSeto said.<\/p>\n
Based on these principles, all children are treated equally.
\n"Children are like flowers in a park. There are all different
\nkinds of flowers, like orchids, roses and sunflowers, and they
\nall have a right to grow and develop."<\/p>\n
Therefore, all of the facilities at the preschools allow the
\nchildren to exercise their basic rights, such as their right to
\nplay, grow, develop, listen to stories, express themselves and to
\nbe proud of themselves, he said.<\/p>\n
All of the activities at the preschools go back to Kak Seto's
\nidea that preschools should be operated in the "best interest of
\nthe children". To be true to this idea, the preschools and their
\nteaching methods please the children because the schools put the
\nemphasis on allowing children to play cheerfully and creatively.<\/p>\n
"While playing, children will unconsciously learn about many
\nthings, such as manners, socialization, expressing gratitude,
\ndisciplines and, in many cases, reading, writing, drawing and
\narithmetic," Kak Seto said, adding that 80 percent of the time at
\na preschool should be spent on playing and the remaining 20
\npercent for preparing children for elementary school.<\/p>\n
Play sessions for children are held inside and outside, where
\nthe children learn about nature and the environment. "The
\nimportant thing is they are encouraged to create things, such as
\nmovements, drawing, songs or expressing ideas," he said.<\/p>\n
The work of the preschools is inseparable from the active role
\nKak Seto, as an educator, scientist and psychologist, plays in
\nconducting research on children.<\/p>\n
Initially, Kak Seto established a play group called Istana
\nAnak-Anak(Palace for Children) in 1975 in the Taman Ria Senayan
\nPark, five years after joining the late Pak Kasur, the former
\nhost of a children's TV program, as an assistant.<\/p>\n
Kak Seto's play group was moved to a more strategic location
\nin Monas Square in Central Jakarta before he set up the Mutiara
\nFoundation in 1982, in response to the growing demand for play
\ngroups and kindergartens using Kak Seto's educational system.<\/p>\n
Due to the increasing demand for preschools, Seto began
\ncooperating with other parties to establish more preschools under
\na franchise agreement. The play groups and kindergartens under
\nthe management of Mutiara Foundation spread throughout Greater
\nJakarta and to areas outside of Jakarta, including Cirebon and
\nBandung in West Java, East Kalimantan and South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The growing demand for schools prompted Kak Seto to establish
\nthe Mentari Foundation in 2000. This foundation also runs play
\ngroups and kindergartens, including Istana Kak Seto in Plaza
\nAtrium Segitiga Senen, Si Komo Children Center in Kebayoran Baru
\nJakarta, Taman Keluarga Si Komo in Mal D'Best Cikokol Tangerang
\nand Taman Bermain Kreative Kak Seto in Cirebon, West Java.<\/p>\n
To date, the two foundations run nearly 30 play groups and
\nkindergartens in the country.<\/p>\n
Compared to preschools that use a Western curriculum, Kak
\nSeto's preschools offer relatively cheaper schools fees.
\nAdmission fees range from Rp 3 million to Rp 4 million per child,
\ndepending on the location. The monthly school fee is between Rp
\n125,000 and Rp 200,000 per child.<\/p>\n
Because play is emphasized, teacher at the preschools are
\npeople who can "smile and who love children".<\/p>\n
"Certainly, the teacher should be good at telling stories,"
\nSeto said.<\/p>",
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