Al-Falah blends int'l education, Islam

Al-Falah blends int'l education, Islam

By Listiana Operananta

JAKARTA (JP): There is something special about this open
classroom. It does not look like any ordinary classroom in the
country. The room is filled with neatly arranged colorful toys
and blocks. There is a TV set and some musical instruments in one
corner and a doll house in another. There are also miniature
household equipment and tools we use in everyday life.

The room is also filled with the sound of children talking to
their teachers and singing songs.

Welcome to Al-Falah, an Islamic preschool which combines
Islamic teaching with an international standard education.
Located in Cibubur, East Jakarta, Al-Falah preschool is working
in cooperation with the renowned Creative Preschool in
Tallahassee, Florida, a national model preschool in the U.S.

The cooperation involves teachers from Al-Falah being trained
in childhood development and education at special courses
conducted by the Creative Preschool.

The Al-Falah principal, Nibras Salim, said that the school
integrated seven centers required for the educational development
of children aged between three and six years.

She said the centers have been designed to enable the children
to optimize their learning ability and creativity.

"The system is unique because it encourages students to be
more creative," Nibras said.

For example, she said, there is a musical center where the
children can learn movement and rhythm, as well as mathematics.

Mooseno, the Al-Falah foundation director, said that the
preschool, despite the implementation of an international
educational standard, is based on Islamic teaching.

"We want our children to have the opportunity to learn and at
the same time have some fun at school, but we also want them to
have a strong understanding of their religion, which is the most
important thing," he said.

Dr. Pamela C. Phelps, owner and director of the Tallahassee
Creative Preschool, said during her visit to Al-Falah that her
school provides Al-Falah with advice on children's education and
development.

"But, of course Al-Falah has its own way to implement what
kind of programs it wants, with Islamic teaching and the
government curriculum as its base," she said.

According to Dr. Phelps, who obtained her Phd. in early
childhood development from the Florida State University,
preschools and playgroups have an important influence on
childhood development.

"Children from three to four do not have an understanding of
the activities they play. For example, they like to play with
scissors but they do not really understand the function of the
tool," she said.

Dr. Phelps said that preschool and playgroup can help
stimulate early age development of children.

"If we educate children when they're at the elementary school
age, it is too late. They have already formed their own
understanding," she said.

In preschool children learn to read in a fun way which can
encourage their reading habit. This differs from formal
elementary school where they might be pushed to read by
memorizing letters.

"They would stop reading because they think it's not fun,
it's just something they have to do," she said.

There is no doubt that children have lots of fun learning at
Al-Falah, but some parents might not see the fun in paying the
high fees. They have to pay Rp 5 million enrollment fee for the
two-year preschool education and Rp 300,000 monthly fee.