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;JP;LWS; JP/22/U11 Interview-int'l-school-government

"Let them grow to meet their own vision and mission"

International schools have become an important alternative for Indonesian children to get a good quality of education. In fact, more and more Indonesian parents have sent their sons and daughters to them, as they not only promise better educational programs, but also an ideal multicultural environment that can help to promote peace and harmony in the world.

Director General for Elementary and High School Education at the Ministry of National Education Indra Djati Sidi talks to our reporter Leo Wahyudi. S on his view of the mushrooming of international schools in Indonesia.

Question:How does the government perceive international schools in the country? Answer: From the government's point of view, international schools are very good. There's no problem with them. They have the opportunity to develop and we make use of their existence to develop our education. They serve as a laboratory for us and if we think they are better, we can adopt their educational programs in a bid to improve the quality of our education.

In view of the increasing trend toward globalization, every country has to promote its educational system to enable it to participate strongly in more competitive markets in every field. This is why the existence of international schools in Indonesia is quite important.

The government requires existing international schools to allocate around 20 percent of their capacity to host country students. We have long implemented such a policy.

So, if Indonesian students want to enroll in an international school, why not? They will benefit from an international experience. They will develop the capability to express different arguments within an international community that often comprises many nationalities, such as Japan, the Philippines, Australia and the United States. This kind of establishment is ideal for Indonesian students to develop a multicultural relationship. Q: How does the government monitor and supervise activities at the international schools here?

A: Regular meetings take place between the international schools and our office. Besides, we also require the international schools to include local culture in their educational programs. Q: How far is the government's control of educational programs accepted by local and international schools?

A: We have our own curriculum standard that must be followed by every national school in the country. The competence-based curriculum standard is set by the central government. Local governments are then authorized to carry out the supervision to ensure that the schools in all provinces meet the standard.

There are also standards for the international schools to follow. Generally they have set their own standards, based on the educational system of their countries of origin. We do have procedures that require international schools to meet certain standards set by the Ministry of National Education. We monitor them, for instance, on those relating to the progress of Indonesians studying at such schools, as we want to be sure that the 20 percent Indonesian student intake that studies there will at least be able achieve the existing minimum standard.

Q: Do you think it is possible that local schools could cooperate with international schools?

A: We have a number of cooperation programs with international schools. Our teachers can, for example, join an apprenticeship program at the international schools. They are also given access to their libraries.

Q: Many people say that international schools offer much added value to local students. What do you think?

A: Certainly. Thousands of Indonesians study abroad, in Australia, England, Japan, Germany, the U.S., and many others, to acquire a better quality of education. They spend a lot of money on such education.

But now we have many international schools here. Perhaps there are about 40 nationwide, including those in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, Makassar and Medan. So why should you study overseas if you can have the same quality of education at home?

Q:Is it possible for local schools to adopt the curriculum of the international schools?

A: There is no problem in adopting their curriculum, so long as that adopted is based on competence. For instance, a given school may teach English lessons differently to other schools but the result should be the same, that is the students can communicate in English. The most important thing is that the curriculum should not ignore competence-based education established by the Ministry of National Education. Q: How about tuition fees if a local school adopts the international system?

A:It is true that international school tuition is more expensive. But if local schools would like to adopt the system at international schools, it should not necessarily be expensive. The most important thing is that the teachers should be as qualified as those at international schools. The tuition fees will be less because the salaries of local teachers are not as high as those of expatriate teachers at international schools.

Q: Can the government regulate tuition fees?

A: We don't regulate them. Every (private or international school) has its own management. Schools have invested a lot of money on educational programs or educational facilities, so they are free to set their own tuition fees. Students, particularly Indonesians, have a lot of choice. They can choose which is more suitable for them. They can decide whether they want to go to an international school, national-plus (semi-international) or a local one. So, let them grow in accordance with their own management, as they have their own vision, mission and target for facing global competition. On the other hand, the community has the right to choose.

Q: How do you compare local and international schools?

A: In Indonesia, local schools vary greatly, ranging from high-quality ones through to the worst. We have a wide spectrum of variation here. We have to admit, though, that international schools in Indonesia, of course, are of good quality and so can't really be compared with local ones.

My task is to redevelop our infrastructure: the teachers. Let's compare our national-plus schools, like Pelita Harapan and Global Jaya, and some high-quality private or state-run schools that are quite competitive, with international schools.

It would be somewhat unfair to compare the worst local schools with international schools.