'Nature school' offers small class

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

Several children busy themselves making red and white paper flags to decorate their classrooms in commemoration of the nation's Independence Day (see photo).

But there were not as many of them in a class as one would expect to find in other schools.

In order to ensure that all of their students receive enough attention from teachers, Bogor nature school limits the number of students in classes.

Such an approach is of great assistance in recognizing each child's individual potential.

Abidin, a staff member at the school, said that there were only 21 first-graders and 17 second-graders in the school's elementary levels, as well as 77 students in its kindergarten.

The school, which also has some 15 children with special needs, occupies a area of 4,000 square meters that children make use of as their learning media.

Abidin explained that the school aimed to maximize the role of its natural surroundings in providing education for its students. Unlike other schools, here children study in semi-open classrooms under several wooden gazebos.

With such facilities, the school can keep their enrollment fees at Rp 3.2 million for kindergarten levels and Rp 4.5 million for elementary school levels.

Parents, however, still need to set aside an additional Rp 200,000 monthly for kindergarten levels and Rp 250,000 for elementary levels.

Meanwhile, those having children with special needs pay an enrollment fee of Rp 3.8 million and Rp 275,000 for monthly tuition.