More superschools in the pipeline
More superschools in the pipeline
JAKARTA (JP): Parents in the Greater Jakarta area are getting
an increasingly wide range of choice for their children's
education with more and more private "superschools" opening their
gates to
Entrance fees range from Rp 2 million (US$849) to over Rp 20
million for kindergarten, and Rp 24 million to Rp 32 million for
elementary and secondary schools.
The schools' registration kicked off in May and will continue
until all places are filled, amid a flurry of marketing, with ad
campaigns and promotional stalls in crowded malls.
The schools promise entirely different environments from the
widely criticized conventional schools here. Frequently cited
shortcomings of state schools include the stifling of creativity.
Apart from air-conditioning, computer literacy and proficiency
in English, extra-curricular activities range from ballet
classes, horse-riding, to speech and drama skills.
Hot on the heels of the Pelita Harapan Foundation in Karawaci,
Tangerang, other new schools to open include Global Jaya in
Pondok Aren, also Tangerang, and the Christian PSKD-Montessori
elementary school in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The latter charges
Rp 20 million in entrance fees and has just opened for business.
The principal of the PSKD school argued the attraction of such
schools was not having to send children overseas for high quality
education.
Pelita Harapan goes from the elementary to university level,
and Global Jaya from elementary to junior school level.
Islamic kindergartens and secondary schools have been popular
for many years here; these include the Al-Azhar Foundation, which
has branched out from Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, to new elite
residential sites such as Serpong, West Java.
Bahrudin Syahbana, a spokesman for the Foundation, said that
the emphasis on religious teaching was Al Azhar's main
attraction.
"Our curriculum doesn't really have anything special about
it," he admitted.
Competition is also increasing in modern Islamic boarding
schools based on the age-old pesantren concept.
The Paramadina Foundation has set up the Madania boarding
school for secondary students in Parung, Bogor. Parents pay
monthly school fees of Rp 200,000, monthly boarding fees of Rp
300,000 and another Rp 5 million for the construction of the
school complex.
A language laboratory for Arabic and English, workshops and
laboratories for basic science teaching and on-line computers
installed in every dormitory room, are among the facilities on
offer to parents anxious for the best in both secular and
religious teaching.
The numerous Catholic foundations are expensive, but have
cross-subsidy mechanisms to help children from less well-off
families.
This has led to the practice of rich parents posing as poor
people, removing all conspicuous signs of wealth for
registration.
The new private schools have a limited number of scholarships
for applicants with high marks.
This glut of new schools proves columnist Mochtar Buchori's
observation that despite the controversy over "superschools," the
demand is increasing.
The latest criticism came at a recent seminar. Noted educator
Conny R. Semiawan said Saturday that the schools are yet to
develop clear concepts, and that they were teaching students too
much.
The schools themselves have improvised on the concept of the
Ministry of Education and Culture, which list "superschools"
among state secondary schools.
Subandio, the head of secondary education at the city office
of the Ministry, said the Ministry has several criteria for such
schools.
These are the quality of teachers, facilities, the potential
for more facilities as indicated by the school's remaining land,
and the quality of entrants.
Although acknowledging that the financial position of the
schools made a difference, he pointed out that: "Schools with
rich children are not automatically superschools," Subandio said.
"It also depends on the parents," he said. (anr/14)