;JP;LWS;
\nJP\/22\/U11
\nInterview-int'l-school-government<\/p>\n
\"Let them grow to meet their own vision and mission\"<\/p>\n
International schools have become an important alternative for
\nIndonesian children to get a good quality of education. In fact,
\nmore and more Indonesian parents have sent their sons and
\ndaughters to them, as they not only promise better educational
\nprograms, but also an ideal multicultural environment that can
\nhelp to promote peace and harmony in the world.<\/p>\n
Director General for Elementary and High School Education at
\nthe Ministry of National Education Indra Djati Sidi talks to our
\nreporter Leo Wahyudi. S on his view of the mushrooming of
\ninternational schools in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Question:How does the government perceive international schools
\nin the country?
\nAnswer: From the government's point of view, international
\nschools are very good. There's no problem with them. They have
\nthe opportunity to develop and we make use of their existence to
\ndevelop our education. They serve as a laboratory for us and if
\nwe think they are better, we can adopt their educational programs
\nin a bid to improve the quality of our education.<\/p>\n
In view of the increasing trend toward globalization, every
\ncountry has to promote its educational system to enable it to
\nparticipate strongly in more competitive markets in every field.
\nThis is why the existence of international schools in Indonesia
\nis quite important.<\/p>\n
The government requires existing international schools to
\nallocate around 20 percent of their capacity to host country
\nstudents. We have long implemented such a policy.<\/p>\n
So, if Indonesian students want to enroll in an international
\nschool, why not? They will benefit from an international
\nexperience. They will develop the capability to express different
\narguments within an international community that often comprises
\nmany nationalities, such as Japan, the Philippines, Australia and
\nthe United States. This kind of establishment is ideal for
\nIndonesian students to develop a multicultural relationship.
\nQ: How does the government monitor and supervise activities at
\nthe international schools here?<\/p>\n
A: Regular meetings take place between the international
\nschools and our office. Besides, we also require the
\ninternational schools to include local culture in their
\neducational programs.
\n Q: How far is the government's control of educational programs
\naccepted by local and international schools?<\/p>\n
A: We have our own curriculum standard that must be followed
\nby every national school in the country. The competence-based
\ncurriculum standard is set by the central government. Local
\ngovernments are then authorized to carry out the supervision to
\nensure that the schools in all provinces meet the standard.<\/p>\n
There are also standards for the international schools to
\nfollow. Generally they have set their own standards, based on the
\neducational system of their countries of origin. We do have
\nprocedures that require international schools to meet certain
\nstandards set by the Ministry of National Education. We monitor
\nthem, for instance, on those relating to the progress of
\nIndonesians studying at such schools, as we want to be sure that
\nthe 20 percent Indonesian student intake that studies there will
\nat least be able achieve the existing minimum standard.<\/p>\n
Q: Do you think it is possible that local schools could
\ncooperate with international schools?<\/p>\n
A: We have a number of cooperation programs with international
\nschools. Our teachers can, for example, join
\nan apprenticeship program at the international schools. They are
\nalso given access to their libraries.<\/p>\n
Q: Many people say that international schools offer much added
\nvalue to local students. What do you think?<\/p>\n
A: Certainly. Thousands of Indonesians study abroad, in
\nAustralia, England, Japan, Germany, the U.S., and many others, to
\nacquire a better quality of education. They spend a lot of money
\non such education.<\/p>\n
But now we have many international schools here. Perhaps there
\nare about 40 nationwide, including those in Jakarta, Bandung,
\nSurabaya, Semarang, Makassar and Medan. So why should you study
\noverseas if you can have the same quality of education at home?<\/p>\n
Q:Is it possible for local schools to adopt the curriculum of
\nthe international schools?<\/p>\n
A: There is no problem in adopting their curriculum, so long
\nas that adopted is based on competence. For instance, a given
\nschool may teach English lessons differently to other schools but
\nthe result should be the same, that is the students can
\ncommunicate in English. The most important thing is that the
\ncurriculum should not ignore competence-based education
\nestablished by the Ministry of National Education.
\n Q: How about tuition fees if a local school adopts the
\ninternational system?<\/p>\n
A:It is true that international school tuition is more
\nexpensive. But if local schools would like to adopt the system at
\ninternational schools, it should not necessarily be expensive.
\nThe most important thing is that the teachers should be as
\nqualified as those at international schools. The tuition fees
\nwill be less because the salaries of local teachers are not as
\nhigh as those of expatriate teachers at international schools.<\/p>\n
Q: Can the government regulate tuition fees?<\/p>\n
A: We don't regulate them. Every (private or international
\nschool) has its own management. Schools have invested a lot of
\nmoney on educational programs or educational facilities, so they
\nare free to set their own tuition fees. Students, particularly
\nIndonesians, have a lot of choice. They can choose which is more
\nsuitable for them. They can decide whether they want to go to an
\ninternational school, national-plus (semi-international) or a
\nlocal one. So, let them grow in accordance with their own
\nmanagement, as they have their own vision, mission and target for
\nfacing global competition. On the other hand, the community has
\nthe right to choose.<\/p>\n
Q: How do you compare local and international schools?<\/p>\n
A: In Indonesia, local schools vary greatly, ranging from
\nhigh-quality ones through to the worst. We have a wide spectrum
\nof variation here. We have to admit, though, that international
\nschools in Indonesia, of course, are of good quality and so can't
\nreally be compared with local ones.<\/p>\n
My task is to redevelop our infrastructure: the teachers.
\nLet's compare our national-plus schools, like Pelita Harapan and
\nGlobal Jaya, and some high-quality private or state-run schools
\nthat are quite competitive, with international schools.<\/p>\n
It would be somewhat unfair to compare the worst local schools
\nwith international schools.<\/p>",
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