Giving access to world's top universities

Giving access to world's top universities

Most international schools in Indonesia, particularly in
Jakarta, have designed their programs to give students access to
the world's top universities.

The schools not only adopt their national curriculum but also
offer internationally respected curriculums such as International
Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP) and Cambridge
International Examination.

With such educational programs, international schools have
become the choice not only for expatriate students but also local
students.

Major international schools such as the Jakarta International
School (JIS), the British International School (BIS), the Gandhi
Memorial International School (GMIS), the North Jakarta
International School (NJIS), Australian International School
(AIS), Singapore International School (SIS) and the New Zealand
International School (NZIS) are also popular among Indonesian
students.

The schools accept students from different nationalities,
providing opportunities for young people to study in a truly
global environment.

The British International School Jakarta, the majority of
whose students are British, follows both the National Curriculum
for England and Wales, especially for preschool through year 11,
and the IB curriculum for secondary school students.

The National Curriculum for England and Wales emphasizes the
importance of broadness, with each student expected to have a
wide range of concepts, experiences, knowledge and skills.

With its campus in Bintaro, South Jakarta, BIS Jakarta offers
educational programs for nursery school through the secondary
level.

The Jakarta International School (JIS), which has 2,350
students from 60 nationalities, is another school that offers
both a national curriculum and the IB curriculum.

The JIS' regular curriculum is based primarily on the North
American model, with courses given in English.

The school's elementary school curriculum puts more emphasis
on language arts and mathematics. Its middle years curriculum
stresses skill development and content.

"The high school curriculum focuses on college and university
preparation, offering the International Baccalaureate diploma and
Advanced Placement International diploma," JIS says.

High school students can take either a regular diploma, an IB
diploma or an AP diploma.

"Students who do not wish to participate in the full IB
diploma program but who are interested in the challenge of a
particular subject can enroll in the IB course of their choice if
it fits with their schedule," the school says.

It said that high school graduates were expected to be
skillful, self-reliant citizens ready to contribute in a complex
and changing world.

JIS' campuses are located in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta and
on Jl. Pattimura, also in South Jakarta.

At the Gandhi Memorial International School (GMIS) located in
Kemayoran, North Jakarta, the IB curriculum is offered across all
grades, from elementary to secondary school, following the
school's success in implementing the IB Diploma program, said
GMIS principal AP Singh.

GMIS, which currently has students from 40 different
nationalities, educates children from nursery school (three years
old) to an IB diploma (18 years old).

The IB Diploma program is a demanding preuniversity course
created by the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate
Organization (IBO). The internationally accredited organization
also offers a Primary Year Program (PYP) for students between
three and 12 years of age, and a Middle Year Program (MYP) for
students between the ages of 11 and 16.

Apart from the IB diploma program, GMIS also offers other
internationally acclaimed programs like the Cambridge
International Examination -- UK. It is called IGCSE, or more
popularly O-Level.

At the Australian International School (AIS), both the primary
school and secondary school curriculums are based on the
Australian Capital Territory (ACT), but also draw on the best
practices from other states and territories in Australia as well
as other international systems.

"Student learning is outcomes based, characterized by an
inquiry approach with students working at many different levels
within year groups," said AIS marketing staff member Julie
Hilton.

For its secondary students at the senior level, the system
becomes more assessment-based, providing a sound preparation for
students wishing to enter university, she said.

At the end of year 12, students receive a university
admissions index (UAI) score, and this score will determine which
course and university they can enter, either in Australia or
worldwide, she said.

"We believe learning builds on prior knowledge and is enhanced
by the process of inquiry, exploration, discovery and thoughtful
reflection. Our teachers perform the very important role of
facilitators who encourage each child's search for knowledge and
understanding," she said.

Students can absorb more if their learning is related to real
life experiences, so "we provide opportunities for children to
construct meaning through developmentally appropriate,
stimulating and challenging experiences", she said.

A child's learning continues beyond the classroom and a
partnership between the school and home is essential for each
student's success.

At AIS, teachers and students share the responsibility for the
educational process, including critical thinking, creative
problem solving and decision-making. "Our aim is to foster in
each child a love of learning and the desire to realize
individual potential. We seek to instill in our students a sense
of responsibility, an appreciation for cultural diversity and a
respect for the rights of individuals," she said.

Established in Indonesia in 1996, AIS has a campus in Kemang,
South Jakarta, for kindergarten and on Jl. Jati Murni, Pejaten,
South Jakarta, for secondary school students.

Meanwhile, to help children develop to their full potential
through the very best learning environment, the New Zealand
International School (NZIS) not only adopts the New Zealand
Curriculum Framework for K-9 or equivalent to junior high school,
but also the Cambridge International Examination (CIE) Curriculum
for secondary school.

NZIS principal Paul Williamson said the curriculum framework
focused on individual students as the center of teaching and
learning.

At NZIS, secondary school students are offered a curriculum
specially designed for preuniversity preparation that refers to
the Cambridge International Examination Curriculum.

"Recognizing that international students today are mobile and
able to access courses anywhere in the world provided that they
gain recognized qualifications, we choose the CIE curriculum as
it is accepted worldwide by universities, institutes of higher
education, military schools and prospective employers,"
Williamson noted.

Meanwhile, there are also international schools that adopt a
curriculum accredited by overseas accrediting agencies. They
include the North Jakarta International School (NJIS).

NJIS was established in 1990 as a result of the decision made
by the Jakarta International School (JIS) in October 1989 to
limit its growth and to assist in the development of other
schools and options for expatriate students.

"NJIS is licensed by the Ministry of Education to provide
schooling for the children of expatriates residing in Jakarta and
options for expatriate students," NJIS admission director Anna
Rangkuti said.

NJIS, located on Jl. Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta, offers
kindergarten and secondary programs.

NJIS' curriculum refers to the curriculum recommended by
American accrediting agencies and the European Council of
International Schools.

"The US-based curriculum reflects strategies for effective
teaching and learning,

"The curriculum encourages students to be lifelong learners,
productive and involved citizens in changing global society", she
said.

Currently, the school has 308 students representing 18
nationalities.