Australian School opens soon

JAKARTA (JP): Another school for expatriate children will open on July 15 in Jati Murni, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

The Australian International School, which will cater students from preschool to junior high, will be using Australian texts as they are readily adaptable to a wide variety of environment and cultural settings, said Penny Robertson, the principal.

"The school will adopt the National Curriculum Guidelines of Australia," said Robertson.

She added that the school will provide individualized programs for short-term expat students on distance learning to enable them to undertake their studies in a school environment.

"We are also different from other international schools here in the sense that we encourage learning by collaboration and cooperation by mixing students of different learning abilities in one class," she added.

By mixing students with learning difficulties with extremely bright ones the school encourages students to learn together, Robertson explained.

She added that the method has been practiced in Australia and proven successful in increasing the average achievement in one class.

Annual school fees range from US$4,250 for pre-school students to $7,900 for grades seven to 10, plus a $150 non-refundable application fee.

The school, set up by Yayasan Australian International School, will open registration on Friday and Saturday next week. It's board of directors includes business and community representatives as well as a former Indonesian ambassador to Australia, Sabam Siagian.

According to Robertson, the school will meet the growing need among expatriates for an Australian curriculum.

She said between 40 and 50 students, half of them Australian, are expected to enroll next month. (lem)