Private schools must respect and assist Indonesian development<\/p>\n
Pieter Van Der Vienhart, Tilburg, Netherlands<\/p>\n
Indonesian newspapers often feature articles, promotionals and
\nadvertorial materials touting the considerable number of private
\nschools that are either now operational or opening up in Jakarta.
\nConcerns have also been expressed about the strong promotional
\nideology put forward that will either encourage caution or sell
\nthe idea that these schools are the way forward, principally for
\nthose parents that can afford them.<\/p>\n
Financial costs and the expense of these schools are naturally
\na central consideration, but we should also consider whether
\nIndonesia, as a nation, can afford to allow these schools to
\ncontinue to proliferate. If they are creating philosophically and
\npsychologically negative sentiments toward the Indonesian
\nnational state-run schools, then that can pose real problems.<\/p>\n
Often these private schools are being opened under the title
\nof "national plus" schools, but it is quite disturbing that, as
\nhas been estimated, only around half of these schools really
\nachieve anything that might be considered a "plus" in comparison
\nto the regular state schools.<\/p>\n
The allusion to state schools being in some way, (often ill
\ndefined or not defined at all), inferior to "national plus"
\nschools; may be seen as representative of stimuli for negative
\nphilosophical and psychological attitudes toward the vast
\nmajority of schools in Indonesia. Some schools are quite open and
\neven proud to claim that they do not follow the national
\ncurriculum. This in itself should be seen as offensive and
\nunacceptable.<\/p>\n
And this kind of attitude can have a fallout affect on
\nstudents. Students may well get the idea that the Indonesian
\nnational curriculum and the standard state schools are inferior
\nand so they, in essence, are being taught in an inferior system.
\nThey may also perceive that the expensive private schools are
\nless Indonesian and thus "more than and better than Indonesia".<\/p>\n
Schools that are committed to what is right and necessary for
\nIndonesian students and for Indonesia are surely doing what is
\ndesirable, right and proper for Indonesia, but schools that are,
\neither consciously or unconsciously, stimulating doubt and
\nmisgivings about the schooling system may have a commitment that
\nis not exactly desirable.<\/p>\n
Private schools should be committed to quality and the
\nadvancement of the educational process and system for Indonesian
\nstudents and Indonesia. If private schools are simply "opting
\nout" of the national system, then the suggestion is that they are
\nreally no longer "national" schools regardless of any titles,
\nclaims or notions of being "plus".<\/p>\n
Many private schools clearly state they follow non-Indonesian
\ncurricula, but often highlight the fact that they do also offer
\nthe Indonesian language or "Indonesian Studies". This means that
\nthey are not really national schools at all but are in fact
\ninternational schools. This, in turn, means that they are quite
\nsimply an entirely different educational organization and should
\ntherefore be treated differently.<\/p>\n
Clearly then there is a need for control, regulation and
\nappropriate monitoring of private schools in Indonesia. Although
\nthere are various associations that have been created to build
\naffiliations and move toward some form of checks and balances,
\nthese associations are largely powerless and weak.<\/p>\n
This leaves a massive amount of room for abuse and subsequent
\ndissatisfaction for all parties involved in schools -- including
\nstudents, parents and teachers. As one Indonesian teacher,
\nperhaps rather cynically, often points out to me, "right now
\nanyone with enough money can open a school in Indonesia, but
\nmostly they do so just to make money."<\/p>\n
Confusion and even deception can easily ensue when
\ninsufficient systems for monitoring, checking and accreditation
\nare applied and this can hurt the whole education system in
\ngeneral and parents in particular.<\/p>\n
The problems of "language of instruction" can often be at the
\nforefront of parents' concerns. A number of parents have
\nemphasized that they have chosen certain private schools
\nexpressly because they have been promoted to them as English-
\nlanguage schools with "native speaker teachers". But promotions
\nand fulfilled promises can be two entirely different things.<\/p>\n
These kinds of encounters are unfortunate and may happen in
\nmany countries and in many different schools. Schools always have
\nto develop, as do their teaching staff, but without sufficient
\naccreditation schemes and systems for monitoring and ensuring the
\nmaintenance of standards, these encounters will be too frequent
\nand too damaging.<\/p>\n
There are some excellent private schools that offer a high-
\nquality education, but even these should be monitored, and such
\nmonitoring could also contribute to the development of "best
\npractices" for other schools.<\/p>\n
Currently the "market" for private schools can at times amount
\nto something of a minefield that parents have to tread carefully
\nand lightly through to avoid disasters for their children. Proper
\naccreditation and monitoring can and will assist parents and
\nassist Indonesia's development.<\/p>\n
The writer is an education consultant. He can be reached at
\npietervdv48@hotmail.com.<\/p>",
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