Important but financially impossible for most

Leo Wahyudi S, Contributor, Jakarta

Despite the controversy over the weakness of education for the very young, some parents still consider it vital.

Nini, mother of four-year old Veraldi, said her only son deserved the best education she could offer him.

Having recently moved from Singapore, she enrolled her son in preschool early this year. Veraldi attends the Doctorabbit preschool in South Jakarta three times a week to learn how to interact with his schoolmates.

"Early education is very costly, but it is not the money that's important," Nini said, adding that the tuition at the preschool was relatively low compared to other schools. She paid Rp 1 million to enroll her son and pays Rp 500,000 monthly for tuition. Some play groups can charge up to Rp 15 million for enrollment, she said.

The outdoor activities at Indonesian play groups are much better than at Singaporean preschools, Nini said. She said that in Singapore similar activities were mostly staged in shopping malls or indoor playgrounds, but Singaporean play groups had a better curriculum and methods.

Unlike in other countries, preschools in Indonesia are considered a luxury, with many people considering them schools only for the rich. Not everyone can afford to send their toddlers to preschool.

Noted psychologist and social observer Tika Bisono acknowledged that preschooling was important but costly, and said that institutions involved in providing early education should not be allowed to operate purely as business entities that focus mainly on turning a profit.

"Investors in (early) education should not necessarily burden parents with all the costs," Tika said, saying preschools could find patrons for funding.

Tika also appreciated the development of local preschools. She said that the quality of learning, equipment and toys used by preschools met most standards.

The ratio between teachers and students was ideal, with the average school having one teacher to every five children. She also said that many preschools involved the parents in educational programs.

For example, many preschools invite parents, as well as nannies, to take part in workshops to help the toddlers adjust to school life.

At some preschools, a pediatrician regularly monitors and examines the children. "This is part of the improvements at preschools today," Tika said.

She said the Ministry of National Education should measure early education more comprehensively. In her opinion, the government only facilitates early education improvement upon request and case by case.

"The government should be open to not only education consultants, but more important to the users," Tika said. She stressed that the education ministry was in dire need of real input from users since it was the ministry who implements regulations and government policies, applies the curriculum and school tuition schemes.

According to ministry data, in 2000 there were 26 million children aged six years and younger. Of the total, only 2.6 million between four and six years old went to preschool and kindergarten. Nearly 99 percent of them went to private schools.

Ministry of National Education's Director General for Informal Education and Youth Affairs Fasli Jalal acknowledges that preschools are still dominated by the children of the elite in major cities.

Fasli also admitted that his office did not oversee preschool activities.

"We let the elite institutions operate as they wish," Fasli said. Were a preschool to be reported for inappropriateness, the government would summon its management to discuss the matter with experts, he added.

Preschools using international education programs should be encouraged, he said. "Reliable education programs provided by such schools could inspire local schools," he said.

He said that the ministry was promoting preschool activities in rural areas through an education program for the young called PAD.

Pilot projects were introduced in 1999 to follow up the signing of an international agreement in Senegal in 2000 on the need for education for all. Now there are 12 regencies running projects.

The government has provided Rp 25 billion fund for projects since early 2002. Most of the funds have been used to pay for the construction of preschools in poor communities in the 12 regencies.

"This program is important to avoid educational discrepancy between the villages and cities," Fasli stressed.