MAN IC Serpong Becomes Indonesia’s First Madrasah to Attain IB World School Status
Education in Indonesia records a historic milestone as MAN Insan Cendekia (IC) Serpong is officially recognised as a provider of the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), making it the first madrasah in Indonesia to join the IB World School network. The ceremony was conducted by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, alongside Dudung Abdurachman and Dirgayuza Setiawan, during a working visit to the MAN IC Serpong campus.
The IB pre-university curriculum is widely known as the system used by elite schools worldwide to prepare students for top universities, ranging from Harvard University, the University of Oxford, Cambridge, National University of Singapore, to the University of Toronto. Globally, only around 3,900 secondary schools are officially authorised to offer the IBDP. In Indonesia, the number is around 55 schools, and MAN IC Serpong becomes the first madrasah negeri to meet the stringent standards.
“This proves that education of a global standard is not exclusive to expensive elite schools. Indonesian public madrasahs can stand on a level playing field with the world’s best schools,” said Minister Nasaruddin Umar.
The minister emphasised that this achievement demonstrates broader access to international education for students in state madrasahs. Through the IB programme, students are not only oriented towards academics but also shaped to possess critical thinking, research, problem-solving, cross-cultural collaboration, and strong social concern.
Interestingly, MAN IC Serpong achieved international recognition in a relatively short time—just one year from the start of the process in May 2025 to formal recognition in May 2026. Typically, other schools take three to five years to meet the stringent standards related to academic quality, teacher quality, learning culture, and school governance. The accelerated achievement was enabled by a synergic collaboration between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Yayasan Pendidikan Kader Bangsa Indonesia (YPKBI) as a mentoring partner. Nyayu Khodijah, Director of the KSKK at the Ditjen Pendidikan Islam (Directorate General of Islamic Education) and the YPKBI team directly oversaw all stages, from curriculum alignment and teacher training to strengthening the learning culture and the international evaluation steps.
All IB teachers at MAN IC Serpong are Indonesian nationals who have earned official IB certification. They were trained through the Akademi Guru Kader Bangsa (AGKB) with a focus on research-based teaching, reflection, and solving real-world problems.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs confirms that the success of MAN IC Serpong will be used as a model for developing other madrasahs across Indonesia. The move aligns with the government’s broader vision of building a generation that masters science and technology while maintaining a strong character and social concern.
Ultimately, this achievement affirms the original vision behind MAN IC Serpong, born from the idea of former President B. J. Habibie to provide world-class science education grounded in faith and piety. Reaching IB World School status sends a powerful message that Indonesia can build an education future that is inclusive, competitive, and recognised by the world.
With continued technological support and sustained innovation, madrasahs in the DIY region are expected to deliver learning experiences that are relevant and to cultivate a generation ready to compete.
The initial steps include mapping competency to gauge pedagogy and English language proficiency for MTs and MA teachers, alongside piloting training programmes.