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