For Focus Issue -- Preschools -- Oct 3 (Sunday)

For Focus Issue -- Preschools -- Oct 3 (Sunday)

Preschools for non-English speaking expat children

As a metropolitan city, Jakarta is home to people of various
nationalities from around the world. Foreigners come to the
country not only to enjoy its natural beauty or to explore the
rich arts and culture. They also work and live here.

Recent data shows that there are about 36,000 expatriates
registered as working in the capital. Numerous facilities are
available to cater to the needs of expatriates. A great number of
restaurants offering international fare can be easily found in
different parts of the city. There are also several hospitals
with world-class facilities managed by hospitals based abroad and
bookstores with a broad selection of publications.

In the field of education, there are many international
schools in Greater Jakarta. Although most international
preschools use English as the language of instruction, non-
English speaking expats have no problem finding good schools for
their children.

Among them are the Jakarta Japanese School in Tangerang;
Deutsche Internationale Schule in Serpong and in Pondok Indah,
South Jakarta; Lycee International Francais in Cipete, South
Jakarta; Jakarta Taipei School in Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta;
Jakarta International Korean School in Ceger, East Jakarta,
Pakistan Embassy School in Menteng, Central Jakarta; and
Nederlandse International School in Cilandak, South Jakarta.

Most of the schools offer preschool, elementary and secondary
education.

The French International School, Lycee International Francais,
for example, has four preschool classes: one class for
three-year-olds, two classes for four-year-olds and another class
for five-year-old children.

There are a total of 82 children in the preschool, while in
total, there are 370 students in the French school, including in
the elementary and secondary schools.

Not all of the students are of French nationality. There are
some Moroccans, Algerians, Canadians, Germans, Americans and
children with Indonesian and French parentage. All classes,
however, are conducted in French.

"It is a French school, so we teach in French. They may speak
other languages like English or Indonesian outside school,"
said Dominique Goduel, the principal of the elementary and
preschool at the French International School, Lycee International
Francais.

Students in the preschool study from Monday to Friday from
7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the afternoon, there are extracurricular
activities for those who are in second and third grade.

"Students may choose classical dance or swimming for the
extracurricular activities," Goduel said, adding that in regular
classes, swimming is taught one hour per week.

The Jakarta Japanese School Kindergarten, which was
established in 1969, has 96 four-years-olds at the first level,
and another 95 five-year-old students at the second level. All of
the students are Japanese and the lessons are in accordance with
the Japanese curriculum.

"The early years are the time in which to shape them as human
beings. Therefore education for children under five is very
important," said Aoshiko Teruo, principal of Jakarta Japanese
School.

The world of imagination is considered important, and
therefore the teachers spend a lot of time reading books to the
children. They also give students assignments that will help them
become independent, and play games that are good for both their
physical and intellectual development.

For Germans and other expats who speak German such as
Austrians and Swiss, there is the German school, Deutsche
Internationale Schule. The one in Serpong has a kindergarten,
elementary school and high school, while its branch in Pondok
Indah only has a kindergarten.

The kindergarten in Serpong has three levels for children
between two and six years old, while the one in Pondok Indah has
two levels for children between two years and a half and five
years.

There are seven children with one teacher in the kindergarten
in Serpong and 10 students with two teachers in Pondok Indah.

"Even though the number of students is small, we must exist
because early education for children is quite important to shape
their emotional intelligence," said Joesi Sihombing, one of the
teachers.

Established in 1978, the Jakarta Korean International School
has 1,500 elementary and high school students, according to Armen
Zar, the school's assistant manager. There is no kindergarten at
the school, but he said Korean expats can send their children to
TK Hana, a Korean kindergarten located in Kapuk, North Jakarta.

How about the education of children from other non-English
speaking countries when there is no school which conducts classes
in their mother tongue?

A Thai woman who lives in Jakarta said that she does not have
any problem with her son's education even though there is no Thai
school here.

"I send him to the Gandhi Memorial School," she said,
referring to an international school in Ancol, North Jakarta,
which has many Indian students.

Naruchai Ninnad, the press officer at the Thai Embassy, said
children of Thai expatriates do not have any difficulty studying
at English international schools.

"The children take an intensive English course first. They are
still young and they can learn quickly and adapt to the new
environment quite easily," Ninnad said.

"And when they return to Thailand, they can continue their
education at an international school there," he said, adding that
a number of international schools have been built in Thailand in
the past five years following the new reform policy. -- T. Sima
Gunawan