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.