In 'plus' schools, children encouraged to speak their mind
In 'plus' schools, children encouraged to speak their mind
T. Sima Gunawan
Contributor/Jakarta
Picture this: A little girl introduces her father to the
teacher when he visits the school to collect her report at the
end of the term.
The girl, who is in kindergarten, shows the report to her
father, saying she is pleased that she received good marks in
certain subjects, although she is rather disappointed with what
she received in some other subjects.
We might wonder about how brave the girl is, about how she
could express her opinions so openly and what kind of school she
goes to.
In many schools, when the report is handed over to the
parents, the teacher discusses the child's progress with them.
In national plus schools, however, students are expected to
speak up, to be active and to think. From the time they are in
kindergarten, or even in preschool, they learn to be responsible
about what they are doing and to think critically.
"A national plus school is a student-centered school which is
based on a holistic approach, with different assessments for each
individual," said Weilin Han, the executive secretary of the
Association of National Plus Schools (ANPS).
As national plus schools strive for excellence, their
graduates are expected to be able to continue their studies and
compete wherever the may find themselves, she added.
According to the ANPS, there are seven characteristics of a
national plus school, including the use of English as the
language of instruction in at least the core subjects of English,
Mathematics and Science.
A national plus school should have clear policies and
procedures, knowledge of and respect for Indonesian culture and
the environment, a commitment to professional development,
striving to achieve national and international learning outcomes,
the development of educational programs that support student-
centered learning, and the possession of appropriate resources
and facilities.
Even though English is widely used in national plus schools,
they are not international schools, although they may have a
number of foreign students.
They are different from international schools as the students
are taught to have a knowledge of and respect for Indonesian
cultural values, diversity and the natural environment.
The first national plus schools were established here in the
1990s as part of an effort to meet global challenges. At that
time -- and even until today -- many schools had poor teaching
systems, which made students passive. Students were also told to
memorize things instead of thinking things out for themselves.
There are currently at least 100 educational institutions,
from kindergarten to high school, that claim to be national plus
schools.
The ANPS was set up about five years ago as the country's
national plus schools realized the need to have an organization
that could serve as a forum for sharing information and
discussing relevant issues that could help them improve the
quality of the education they offered. Once a year it holds a
conference and workshops for teachers.
The ANPS has around 50 members, which are located in many
parts of the country, including Jakarta, Tangerang, Bandung,
Surabaya, Malang, Medan, Palembang, Pakanbaru, Lampung, Soroako,
Bali and Lombok. The annual membership fee is between Rp 1.4
million and Rp 2.8 million, depending on the number of students.
Any school that claims to be a national plus school may join
the ANPS, but this does not mean that the school will be
automatically accredited. The school must apply for accreditation
and if it fails to meet the criteria, it is given a chance to
improve its quality.
There are no special curricular requirements as each school is
free to choose the curriculum that suits it as long as it meets
the criteria for a national plus school as set by the ANPS.
Therefore, some schools apply the Singaporean curriculum,
Australian curriculum, a combination of several curricula or even
develop its own curriculum.
While many schools have around 40 students per class, in a
national plus school the number is limited to 25 or less. A small
class size is required to ensure a good educational environment
and proper communication between the teacher and the students.
With such advantages, it is no wonder that national plus
schools charge higher fees than ordinary schools. Fees for junior
high, for example, range between less than Rp 1 million to more
than Rp 2 million.
Weilin said that national plus schools faced two major
problems. First, the public perception of such schools as being
expensive and exclusive, and, second, the difficulties in good
quality teachers.
Teachers in national plus schools are required to be
professional and the school management should set aside an
appropriate budget to pay them in accordance with their skills.
The involvement of parents is also important. "We encourage
parents to become very much involved in the education of their
children," said Weilin. "For example, they are expected to assist
the children while studying, but not to do their homework," she
added.
Students at a national plus school are required to be
disciplined, but teachers are not allowed to use harsh words or
corporal punishment.
"Pointing your finger at the students or speaking to them
harshly will not solve anything," she said. The important thing
is to make the students realize their mistakes and give them the
chance to correct them.