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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.