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.