Ethnic harmony flourshing at Mahatma Gandhi School<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Cultural differences enrich the Indian and Chinese students at
\nthe Mahatma Gandhi School in Central Jakarta, the national plus
\ninstitute's teachers say.<\/p>\n
\"They not only co-exist peacefully, they also integrate
\nharmoniously with each other,\" said I Ketut Sudiana, who teaches
\nBahasa Indonesia at the school.<\/p>\n
The Mahatma Gandhi School is one of four schools run by the
\nGandhi Seva Loka Foundation, which promotes quality education.
\nThe others are the Gandhi Memorial International School, also in
\nKemayoran; the Gandhi National School in Ancol, North Jakarta;
\nand the Gandhi Institute of Business and Technology in Pasar
\nBaru.<\/p>\n
At the beginning, Indians dominated the school, which was
\nestablished in 1950 by the Sindhi community, who fled Pakistan
\nafter the 1947 partitioning of India. However, as the school's
\nreputation grew through the years, the demographics shifted to
\nits present balance, where two ethnic groups, the Indians and
\nChinese, are equally represented in the more than 1,200 students
\nstudying from kindergarten to high school.<\/p>\n
Sudiana said during his 15 years at the school he had never
\nwitnessed the slightest hint of racial disharmony.<\/p>\n
\"They realize that cultural differences enrich them,\" Sudiana
\nsaid proudly of the students, whose parents pay on average about
\nRp 500,000 (US$53) a month to attend the school.<\/p>\n
Sudiana said that in his early years at the school, he was
\nonce instructed by a government official to \"Indonesianize\" his
\ncharges, who are all Indonesian citizens.<\/p>\n
He admitted that like the official, he initially had some
\ndoubts about the patriotism of his students, who were all born
\nand raised in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't know what was in their hearts,\" Sudiana said.<\/p>\n
However, after realizing that his students had become well-
\nintegrated into society, he found it was unnecessary to follow
\nthe official's instructions.<\/p>\n
\"They appreciate Indonesia and are very proud of being
\nIndonesian citizens,\" said Sudiana. \"Every inch of them is
\nIndonesian.\"<\/p>\n
He added that out of the school's students who continue their
\nstudy overseas -- about 90 percent of the graduating seniors --
\nonly a handful of those did not return to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The school's principal, Vimala Nandakumar, said that she was
\nproud of the school's diversity and harmony, which she attributed
\nto the student's broad-mindedness.<\/p>\n
\"Unlike adults, children see other kids, no matter what their
\nbackground, as children,\" said Vimala, who was recruited from
\nIndia three years ago.<\/p>\n
She said that she was surprised at how well the Indonesians of
\nIndian descent had blended into society.<\/p>\n
\"Initially, I expected them to act like Indian kids,\" said
\nVimala. \"I was surprised that they behaved like Indonesians and
\ntalked like Indonesians.\"<\/p>\n
\"If they were from India, they would be crazy about cricket,\"
\nsaid Vimala, who has also been teaching mathematics for 22 years.
\n\"My boys don't like cricket.\"<\/p>\n
However, she said that despite being Indonesian, \"they know
\nthat some part of them is Indian and are very proud of their
\nheritage.\"<\/p>\n
She added that compared to students in India, her students
\nwere emotionally stronger and were more community-service
\noriented.<\/p>\n
\"Children here are more sensitive to others,\" said Vimala.
\n\"When they help, they do not do it out of pity, but out of love.\"
\n--(002)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ethnic-harmony-flourshing-at-mahatma-gandhi-school-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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