Preschool education sprouts in big cities<\/p>\n
More parents than ever are sending their children to
\npreschool. Preschool education centers, especially playgroups,
\nare growing rapidly in big cities like Jakarta. Most of them are
\ncrowded with toddlers. The Jakarta Post reporters Devi M.
\nAsmarani, Imanuddin, Kosasih Deradjat, Listiana Operananta,
\nPrimastuti Handayani, Riyadi and Sri Wahyuni investigate
\ndevelopments in preschool education, especially playgroups.
\nRelated stories are on Page 3 and Page 9.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Education starts in the womb and ends in the
\ntomb, says education psychologist Zakiah Daradjat.<\/p>\n
What she means is that the simple gesture of caressing a
\npregnant stomach can stimulate a baby's mind in the same way an
\nintellectual conversation inspires an adult's mind.<\/p>\n
The importance of early childhood education is being taken
\nmore seriously now not only by parents and educators, but
\nentrepreneurs as well.<\/p>\n
And who can blame investors? The market is ripe.<\/p>\n
The cost of education continues to rise and a good private
\nschool for young children can cost as much as a college
\neducation. Early childhood education is a big profit-making
\nindustry with high revenue, low expenditure and not much
\ncompetition.<\/p>\n
But the industry is growing at a rapid pace. Just take a
\nstroll through Pondok Indah, South Jakarta and see. Four years
\nago the Pondok Indah Montessori preschool was the only preschool
\non Jl. Metro Pondok Indah. Now there are at least five.<\/p>\n
Even with five in the one street they still manage to fill
\ntheir playgrounds, some even have waiting lists.<\/p>\n
\"Competition might be growing but there is still a high demand
\nfor places,\" said Ingrid Suria, the managing director of Kemang
\nTutor Time playgroup in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
She said Tutor Time had a waiting list for the July intake.
\n\"And I know other playgroups also have waiting lists.\"<\/p>\n
But how important is early education for our toddlers? Has
\nthe growth in the number of playgroups sprung out of real demand?
\nOr is it just another middle class trend sweeping the country?<\/p>\n
Child psychologist Fauziah Aswin Hadis said children needed a
\nplace to express themselves physically and intellectually. By the
\nage of three, a child needs a social life outside his or her
\nsmall world of family and babysitters.<\/p>\n
Educated, middle-class parents want their children to succeed
\nat school so they send their children to playgroups, Fauziah
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
But she said that mothers with enough spare time should not
\nsend their kids to playgroups more than three times a week.<\/p>\n
Zakiah said maternal care was still the most important care in
\na young child's life. If this is not an option then professional
\nDaycare centers or playgroups are good.<\/p>\n
Preschool education falls into three categories depending on a
\nchild's age. Daycare centers cater for kids up to two years old,
\nplaygroups cater for two to four year-old toddlers and
\nkindergartens for four to six year-olds.<\/p>\n
Preschools<\/p>\n
The late Maria Montessori is probably the best known name in
\nearly childhood education. She pioneered many of the changes to
\nmodern childhood education.<\/p>\n
Fauziah, like Montessori, believes the age of three is the
\nmost active year in a person's life.<\/p>\n
Montessori developed an unconventional system of education for
\nchildren in 17th century Italy. It stressed the importance of
\nletting children develop naturally by stimulating their motor,
\nsensory, intellectual and language skills.<\/p>\n
The system is practiced in Montessori and non-Montessori
\nschools throughout the world and has become the foundation of
\nmodern education for children.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, preschool education centers are usually only
\nused by the middle classes. And a third of the 292 playgroups in
\nthe country are in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Preschool education centers offer programs for children from
\nas young as 10 months to about four years old.<\/p>\n
Some playgroups are franchises and many of these are from the
\nUnited States, which explains their relatively high fees. Fees
\nrange from as little as US$300 to $1,500 per child for three
\nmonths.<\/p>\n
Tutor Time, Gymboree, Tumble Tots, Kinderland and High Scope
\nare franchises. Most use English as their communication medium.<\/p>\n
Some franchises cater mostly for the children of expatriates.
\nEighty-five percent of the children at Tutor Time are children of
\nexpatriates.<\/p>\n
Although franchises often strictly follow their franchisor's
\nprograms, other education centers develop their own.<\/p>\n
Take the Gymboree playgroup in Pondok Indah, Menteng (Central
\nJakarta) and Kelapa Gading (North Jakarta) as examples. These
\nU.S. franchises focus on stimulating children's motor skills
\nthrough physical activity.<\/p>\n
\"Our program is designed to develop their self-confidence by
\nemphasizing socialization not their academic progress,\" says
\nIndra Surni, the manager of PT Bina Balita Gembira which carries
\nthe Gymboree license in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
It costs US$50 to enroll, and US$300 every three months for
\nyounger kids to spend 45 minutes a day there twice a week. Older
\nchildren can spend 75 minutes a day there twice a week.<\/p>\n
Like Gymboree, Tumble Tots and Kidsport also concentrate on
\ndeveloping self confidence through physical activity.<\/p>\n
Kidsport in Pondok Indah offers programs for kids as young as
\nsix months and has a well known play facility, called Adventure
\nChallenge, which is open to the public.<\/p>\n
Unlike Gymboree, Kidsport teaches in bahasa Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Other playgroups are more rigid in their programs.<\/p>\n
Teddy Bear playgroups offer programs that are more academic
\nand strictly follow the U.S. curriculum. Kids three years old and
\nover are taught basic math and science, arts and crafts, English,
\nmusic and computer use.<\/p>\n
Teddy Bear's fees are high. The registration fee is $500 and
\ntuition fees range from $500 to $725 per quarter, depending on
\nthe location.<\/p>\n
Tutor Time charges parents US$750 a child for two and a half
\nmonths, three days a week, and US$1,450 five days a week. Kids
\nspend four hours there a day.<\/p>\n
Also on offer are playgroups that combine modern education
\nwith Islamic teaching, like the Al-Falah playgroup in Cibubur,
\nEast Jakarta, and Al-Izhar playgroup in Cinere, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
There are also playgroups that cater for low income families.
\nThe Bina Anaprasa preschools in Kwitang and Johar Baru, both in
\nCentral Jakarta are run by the Indonesian Planned Parenthood
\nAssociation. They charge parents a maximum of Rp 5,000 a month
\nfor each child.<\/p>\n
Sumiyati, 48, has a six-year-old daughter who goes to the
\nKwitang Bina Anaprasa preschool. She said her daughter had become
\nmore disciplined since joining the playgroup.<\/p>\n
\"I get to participate in some of her activities, like the once
\na year school trip,\" said Sumiyati, who has 10 children.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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