Ethnic harmony flourshing at Mahatma Gandhi School

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Cultural differences enrich the Indian and Chinese students at the Mahatma Gandhi School in Central Jakarta, the national plus institute's teachers say.

"They not only co-exist peacefully, they also integrate harmoniously with each other," said I Ketut Sudiana, who teaches Bahasa Indonesia at the school.

The Mahatma Gandhi School is one of four schools run by the Gandhi Seva Loka Foundation, which promotes quality education. The others are the Gandhi Memorial International School, also in Kemayoran; the Gandhi National School in Ancol, North Jakarta; and the Gandhi Institute of Business and Technology in Pasar Baru.

At the beginning, Indians dominated the school, which was established in 1950 by the Sindhi community, who fled Pakistan after the 1947 partitioning of India. However, as the school's reputation grew through the years, the demographics shifted to its present balance, where two ethnic groups, the Indians and Chinese, are equally represented in the more than 1,200 students studying from kindergarten to high school.

Sudiana said during his 15 years at the school he had never witnessed the slightest hint of racial disharmony.

"They realize that cultural differences enrich them," Sudiana said proudly of the students, whose parents pay on average about Rp 500,000 (US$53) a month to attend the school.

Sudiana said that in his early years at the school, he was once instructed by a government official to "Indonesianize" his charges, who are all Indonesian citizens.

He admitted that like the official, he initially had some doubts about the patriotism of his students, who were all born and raised in Indonesia.

"I didn't know what was in their hearts," Sudiana said.

However, after realizing that his students had become well- integrated into society, he found it was unnecessary to follow the official's instructions.

"They appreciate Indonesia and are very proud of being Indonesian citizens," said Sudiana. "Every inch of them is Indonesian."

He added that out of the school's students who continue their study overseas -- about 90 percent of the graduating seniors -- only a handful of those did not return to Indonesia.

The school's principal, Vimala Nandakumar, said that she was proud of the school's diversity and harmony, which she attributed to the student's broad-mindedness.

"Unlike adults, children see other kids, no matter what their background, as children," said Vimala, who was recruited from India three years ago.

She said that she was surprised at how well the Indonesians of Indian descent had blended into society.

"Initially, I expected them to act like Indian kids," said Vimala. "I was surprised that they behaved like Indonesians and talked like Indonesians."

"If they were from India, they would be crazy about cricket," said Vimala, who has also been teaching mathematics for 22 years. "My boys don't like cricket."

However, she said that despite being Indonesian, "they know that some part of them is Indian and are very proud of their heritage."

She added that compared to students in India, her students were emotionally stronger and were more community-service oriented.

"Children here are more sensitive to others," said Vimala. "When they help, they do not do it out of pity, but out of love." --(002)