Pros of attending international school outweigh cons
Pros of attending international school outweigh cons
David Kennedy, Contributor, Jakarta
Dr. Niall Nelson is a long-term resident of Jakarta and a
prominent figure in the expatriate community. Born in Dublin, the
Irishman managed schools in countries as diverse as Russia,
Tanzania, Italy and Libya, before moving to Jakarta over a decade
ago to take up the reins as Headmaster at Jakarta International
School (JIS).
Not content with a prestigious academic career alone, Dr.
Nelson has also been active in the diplomatic arena since 1996,
representing the Republic of Ireland in Indonesia as Honorary
Consul.
He spoke recently to The Jakarta Post about the international
school and his experience in running JIS.
Question: You have been Headmaster of Jakarta International
School for over ten years. How has the school changed during this
time?
Answer: Well, in my first years here, we expanded the school as
the expatriate population increased. Between 1991 and 1997, there
were about 100 new students coming into the school each year, and
numbers grew to 3,100. We added extra facilities and increased
our capacity to take in more students.
However, the combination of the exodus of expatriates and the
economic downturn in 1997 and 1998 meant we had to become more
flexible in how we operated the school. We lost over 1,000
students, so we were overstaffed for a while. It was difficult to
predict what resources would be needed.
The school closed for almost two weeks last November due to
concerns about a possible terrorist threat in the wake of the
Bali bombings. Do you still have heightened security measures?
Yes, we have kept heightened security measures in place. I
should say that the government and police authorities have been
very helpful and they continue to provide support. We are very
pleased with the relationship.
Some foreign press reports controversially claimed there was a
far greater direct threat to the school at the time. What is your
view of the press handling of the situation?
The approach of the press was variable. I do have my own views
on this, but I don't want to get into a mud-slinging match. The
media have their jobs to do, and sometimes it coincides with the
concerns of people on the ground; other times, it does not.
What challenges do expatriate children face in adjusting to
life in Indonesia, and how are they affected by not being
integrated into a national school system?
It's very hard to generalize about such a large group, but a
lot of the students have spent much of their lives in
international schools. It's a fairly mobile population. We have
the advantage of being a large school. That means we can break
students up into small groups and provide them with a good
orientation.
My own view is that the benefits of attending an international
school far outweigh the disadvantages. They (the students) are
exposed to other nationalities and language groups, and one of
the key factors for success in adulthood is your ability to
communicate with people from different backgrounds.
Our school curriculum draws from the best national curriculums
we can find, and students prepare for the International
Baccalaureate, which gives them access to universities around the
world.
Extracurricular activities are also well catered for. We are
particularly strong in the visual arts, drama and debate, and
there is always a performance of some kind being organized.
How would you compare the concerns of expatriates in Indonesia
today in terms of security and the impending war on Iraq, with
their concerns in 1998?
There are some similarities. I think the main difference is
that in 1998, things developed fairly quickly and there were
actual events on the ground and rioting that caused people to
have immediate concerns, and that led to the evacuation.
Today, the concerns are more geopolitical. Indonesia is one
part of a wider world stage, and people now weigh up their
prospects and decisions against uncertainties which exist in
other places as well.
The major difference is that (back) then, events were very
locally focused. Recent events are part of a much broader
landscape.
Indonesia is one part of a world drama. I think there is a
greater realization of the context within which Indonesia is
operating, and the relationship between Indonesia and world
events.
One important thing to mention, though, is that expatriates
are always struck by how welcoming and courteous Indonesians are
to foreigners. That is an important reason why so many
expatriates choose to stay here.
You are the Honorary Irish Consul. What does that entail, and
why does Ireland not have a full embassy here?
It's not for negative reasons that there is no embassy here.
Being a small nation, Ireland lacks the capacity to have
embassies in every country. The consulate here works under the
auspices of the Irish embassies in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. I
act as the connection between Jakarta, Dublin and Irish embassies
in the region.
Essentially, my role is to act as a locum, providing consular
services to Irish citizens and processing visas for Indonesian
citizens. Quite a few Indonesians travel to Ireland on business
and for banking seminars, or to explore investment opportunities.
Are there visa restrictions or other delays for Indonesian
citizens wishing to travel there at the moment?
We do not differentiate between Indonesians and other
nationalities. The applications I receive are processed in
Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and Dublin in the same way as for
citizens of other countries.
The length of time to issue a visa varies, though it normally
takes three or four weeks. We advise anyone planning to travel to
make an application as early as possible.
There seems to be some trade in Irish pubs. Which is your
favorite in Jakarta?
There are a couple of Irish pubs in hotels in the city. I know
how Irish they are, but of course I cannot comment on them.
Headmasters don't go to pubs!
Not even to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the Irish national
day?
We have a St. Patrick's Society that meets every month and
organizes various cultural events. We usually organize a St.
Patrick's Day ball in March each year and bring out traditional
dancers and musicians from Ireland.