Daryl Forde

Daryl Forde
Contributor
Jakarta

New paradigm about international education is emerging

Preschool, primary and secondary education in Indonesian is
going through a period of transition. The emergence of National
Plus schools throughout Indonesia, the growing acceptance of the
various programs of the International Baccalaureate Organization
together with the possibility of Indonesian students attending
international schools in Indonesia means that a new educational
paradigm about international education is emerging. You do not
have to attend an international school or go overseas now to
receive a high quality international education.

Yet what exactly is meant by an "international education?" Is
it the same thing as an "international approach to education" or
an "international curriculum"? The meaning is fuzzy and is used
in different ways by different groups to promote particular
vested interests.

Trying to identify some of the key characteristics is
especially difficult. It is much more than offering one country's
education program in a foreign country and it is much wider than
simply celebrating festivals from around the world or having an
international food day. Schools that claim to offer an
international education or have an international approach to
education need to be able to justify those claims. How? The
following list offers some suggestions.

Does a school offer a curriculum framework that is
internationally recognized and which highlights student outcomes
and verifiable standards?

Are assessment standards and procedures throughout the school
(and not just in the last two years) verifiable by a reputable
and internationally recognized organization?

Does the school offer a bilingual education? Does the school
enhance the continuing professional development of staff by
supporting and encouraging their attendance at international or
local conferences or by running a systematic and coherent in-
service program within the school?

Does the school encourage international, inter-cultural
understanding and cooperation on a regular basis? Does the school
promote and respect the local cultural environment? Does the
school have the power or autonomy to develop protocols and school
procedures that are universal and internationally accepted.

Of the organizations that promote an international education,
the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), a non-profit
educational organization, is the most prominent. It has its
headquarters in Geneva (Switzerland), an operational curriculum
and assessment center in Cardiff, Wales, and regional offices in
every continent. There are 1464 schools operating in 115
countries that offer one or more of the three IBO programs:
Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and
Diploma Program (DP). In Indonesia nine schools offer IBO
programs and a substantial number are preparing submissions to
join. What makes these programs so attractive?

The curriculum assessment frameworks for the PYP and MYP offer
a coherent and systematic approach to learning. The approach to
learning encourages the development of school programs whereby
students question and critically evaluate information. Students
reflect on what they have learned, they seek out and explore the
links between traditional subjects, they develop an awareness of
their own identity and most importantly they learn to live with
others.

The DP offers a centralized and standardized curriculum
framework of learning and examinations, which is generally
accepted world-wide for University entrance. To participate in an
IB program means that a school has to commit itself to an ongoing
and collegial partnership with other IB schools.

Attendance at overseas conferences, regular IB workshops held
in many countries and an online curriculum center allows teachers
to communicate openly and regularly on educational matters.

George Walker, the director general of the International
Baccalaureate Organization has stated that the key element of an
international dimension to education is "providing an education
from which young people can learn to live together." Moreover,
all three programs endorse the concept of student centered
learning and promote educational activities and outcomes which
provide students with "the power to think, the will to act and
the courage to persevere."

Of the schools that offer IB courses, Sekolah Tiara Bangsa in
Cibubur, East Jakarta was the first school in Indonesia to be
authorized to teach the Primary Years Program and it now teaches
MYP as well.

There are four schools which offer the PYP, five schools
offering the MYP and five schools offering the DP. International
Schools, such as JIS and BIS offer the DP but do not offer the
PYP or MYP. The official website of the IBO, www.ibo.org,
contains useful information. Parents can now place their children
in Indonesian schools that offer the same high standard as
international schools.

Gaining in popularity are the National Plus Schools. There are
enormous differences in the quality of these schools and so the
Association of National Plus School has recently developed
criteria for accreditation. Schools who wish to be accredited
with the Association must demonstrate the following
characteristics.

- That a set of clear policies has been developed,
documented, published and implemented by the school. And that
there is knowledge of and respect for Indonesian cultural values,
diversity and the natural environment

- That students are educated in, and can communicate using
both Indonesian and English

- That there is a commitment to plan and implement ongoing
staff professional development

- That the school develops and uses national and
international learning outcomes in their curriculum framework

- That educational programs, teaching methodologies and a
range of assessment practices support student-centered learning

- That an appropriate range of resources and facilities are
provided to achieve described learning outcomes

Sekolah Tiara Bangsa, Sekolah Cita Buana, Sekolah Pelita
Harapan, Sekolah Global Jaya, and Sekolah Bina Nusantara were
amongst the first schools to be established and authorized as
National Plus schools.

Curriculum from Western Australia, Victoria, that Australian
Capital Territory and the IBO is offered at particular schools.
Many schools call themselves National Plus, but not all have been
accredited by the Association.

It is evident that education in Indonesia is being
transformed. There are now a number of world-class schools
operating in Indonesia, both international and National Plus. Our
children must be prepared for the reality of a world in which
they will live and work. It is therefore crucial that schools
adopt a focus that encourages internationalism. -- (The writer
is the director of Sekolah Tiara Bangsa, Cibubur, Jakarta).