Promoting peace and harmony among students

Sudibyo M. Wiradji The Jakarta Post Jakarta

International schools are becoming increasingly popular among expatriate and local parents not only because of their high quality of education but also due to the positive cultural values resulting from their multicultural environments.

In addition to the indisputable quality of their educational programs, the different nationalities of the students allow them to become familiar with a multicultural environment, thus helping them develop a sense of trust and mutual respect.

The British International School's principal, Peter Hoggins, for instance, said that the school provides a good opportunity for children from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds to learn about each other.

"A better understanding will hopefully move us towards a more peaceful and harmonious world," Hoggins said.

Quoting a winner of the Noble Peace Prize, Lester B. Pearson, he said, "How can the peoples of the world live in peace unless they know each other?"

To appreciate cultural diversity at secondary level, the schools hold cultural programs as special events in various forms, including traditional dance and musical performances from different nationalities.

At the Gandhi Memorial International School (GMIS), diversity is considered a strength and a positive value. "The school encourages students to develop respect and sympathy for other human beings and their rights regardless of race, religion, creed or gender," said the GMIS's principal Ashok Pal Singh.

Despite being open to all nationalities, most international schools in Jakarta saw only small numbers of students from a few nationalities during the earlier years of their existence.

But as time goes by, the schools have developed into large and truly international schools embracing more and more nationalities, including Indonesians.

The Jakarta International School (JIS) was established in 1951, with the students exclusively coming from the United States, Great Britain and Australia. Currently, the school has 60 nationalities represented in the 2350 student body. The school was known as the Joint Embassy School until it became the Jakarta International School in 1971. It was not until 1971 that a senior high school was added to the existing grades 1-8.

Before evolving into an international school with around 40 nationalities, the GMIS also saw only a few nationalities, mostly Indians, when it first operated in 1950. It had between 22 and 36 nationalities several years later.

Similarly, the majority of students attending high school at the BIS were British when the school started operating in Jakarta in 1973. But the number of nationalities increased from year to year and currently, there are over 45 nationalities attending the school.

With an increasing number of nationalities, the schools are striving to accommodate the differences in religious and cultural backgrounds. The GMIS, for instance, has a diverse student body represented by about 40 nationalities.

The differences in religious and cultural backgrounds are reflected in the schools' activities. At the BIS, students are encouraged to celebrate different cultures through the marking of the major events of the world's religions and through school events such as International Day. "All members of the community are treated with equality and respect," he said.

Historically, the emergence of the international schools was closely linked to the existence of embassies in Jakarta. The schools were established in response to the educational needs of expatriate parents working as diplomats or UN staff posted to the capital.

But with the increasing number of expatriate parents residing temporarily in Indonesia for business or professional reasons, more expatriate parents from various professional backgrounds started sending their children to the international schools. The quality educational programs presented in multicultural environments has also attracted local parents.

Parents have their own reasons why they choose a particular international school.

The JIS's Publication Director, William Woodruff, said that many expat parents chose the JIS because it had a worldwide reputation of offering high quality education to high school students.

Woodruff said that the goal of the high school programs was to provide students with the skills to be self-reliant, contributing citizens in a complex and a changing world.

The JIS has 921 high school students who started its current academic year in September 2002.

The high school curriculum focuses on college and university preparation, offering the International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement International diploma.

The JIS has grown rapidly due to the growing demand for a quality international school in parallel with the growth of the expat population in Jakarta.

The JIS is managed by an 11-member School Council and elected parents of JIS students. The JIS is a non-profit, independent foundation,headed by a board of governors comprised of representatives of the three founding embassies, America, Australia and Great Britain.

The GMIS's principal, AP. Singh, said that parents send their children to the school because they are interested in the educational system, the cultural values and the ethos of the school.

"We have a safe and stimulating environment that encourages students to become compassionate thinkers and life-long learners," he said, adding:"There is an excellent rapport between the principal, students, teachers and parents."

Located on Jl. Pangandaran IX, Ancol Barat, North Jakarta, the GMIS has been set up to educate, motivate and inspire students and to prepare them to be confident, successful and responsible citizens of the world. "It offers a high quality, internationally accredited English language curriculum in a diverse multinational academy," Singh said.

To ensure the quality of the educational programs, the GMIS has become affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization and offers a Diploma Program, equivalent to the third grade of senior high school (SMU 3) and the Cambridge International Examinations-UK (IGCSE) program.

The school maintains high academic standards through the use of the International Baccalaureate, Singh said.

The GMIS's curriculum is professionally managed by the principal through his team of teachers.

Hoggins of the BIS said that parents and children chose the BIS because "they know our reputation for enabling all students to achieve their full potential."

"Academic standards are very high and there is emphasis on the partnership between home and parents," he added.

Currently, the BIS has 400 high school students.

Located near the Serpong toll road, the BIS provides a British-style education in superb surrounding. It is based on an 18-hectare campus which has outstanding facilities, including an Olympic size pool.

Older children at the BIS study the International Baccalaureate Diploma pre-university course. "Students are encouraged to develop a wide range of skills through a stimulating curriculum matched to their individual needs, and a comprehensive extra-curricular activities provide further opportunities for personal growth," Hoggins said.

The BIS is a 'Yayasan', or foundation, led by a Council of Trustees who delegate executive responsibility for the administration of the school to the Board of Governors and the principal.