Jakarta sets up classes for the exceptionally intelligent
Jakarta sets up classes for the exceptionally intelligent
Dyah Apsari, The Jakarta Post
A search is underway for students with strong intellectual capabilities in science to study in a special class hosted by state school SMA 3 in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.
Yohanes Surya of the Indonesian Physics Olympiad Foundation said that they were looking for 20 to 30 first-year high school students to participate in the program that is expected to start late August.
"The curriculum will particularly focus on science subjects including mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry," Yohanes said during the launch of Super DKI Class on Wednesday.
Other subjects, including music, sport, arts and English, would be taught on weekends.
The program, which was launched by head of the Jakarta Secondary Education Agency Margani M. Mustar, BMW Indonesia president director Josef Honsel and Yohanes Surya, aims to provide an opportunity for outstanding high school students to be trained as candidates for the international science Olympiad.
Students selected to participate in the class would pay no tuition or other school charges, but would still have to buy their own text books.
Instructors for the program, to be financed by BMW Indonesia, would be chosen from experienced university lecturers with master's degrees.
Yohanes said as many as 5,000 first-year high school students would undergo a recruitment test next week to be held at their respective schools. The test would focus on their capabilities in mathematics and logical thinking.
Students who obtained a perfect mathematics score in the national final examination last May are particularly encouraged to join the screening.
There were around 3,000 junior high school students who got a perfect score of 10 in the national examinations.
Yohanes said 50 of the best students in this first selection process would be interviewed in order to get 20 and 30 students for the program.
He added that only students with an IQ of over 150 and who have extraordinary talent in science would be given the opportunity to attend the Super DKI Class.
"Under the program, first-year students would take up courses normally given to students attending bachelor's programs, second- year students would do courses normally given to master's degree students and third-years would study subjects given to doctoral students," Yohanes said.
"It won't burden them too much as they have higher capabilities compared to average people. We have to challenge them to maximize their academic potentialities. Hopefully, by this program, Indonesia will be able to bring home five gold medals from the International Science Olympiads," explained the long-time physics international Olympiad instructor.
Yohanes also said that they were planning to open up similar classes in other provinces across the country.
"Ambon has already expressed interest in opening a similar school in their area, because they think they have many potential students in science," he said.