Tips for finding a good school for your children

Tips for finding a good school for your children

The growing number of national plus schools in Jakarta and
other major cities in Indonesia has demonstrated an increasing
awareness of the importance of quality education.

The schools, which combine national and foreign educational
systems in their curricula, provide good alternatives for parents
seeking quality education for their children.

National plus schools differ from conventional ones in that
they generally employ international education systems in addition
to their national curriculum.

Some of them adopt the education systems of certain countries
such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Others use
the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, which has been
adopted by thousands of schools in the world.

Using both Bahasa Indonesia and English as the languages of
instruction is also a main characteristic of national plus
schools.

Other characteristics include the provision of quality
teaching and learning facilities and resources. The educational
programs reflect student-oriented learning delivered by teachers
trained in up-to-date and effective methodologies.

National plus schools first appeared in Indonesia in the early
1990s, when a number of educational institutions were allowed to
adopt international education programs to supplement their
national curricula.

The number of these elite schools has grown rapidly since
then. The Association of National Plus Schools (ANPS) estimates
that there are more than 100 schools that claim to be national
plus ones, but only about 50 of them have registered with the
association and meet its standards.

The lack of accreditation standards to determine the quality
of national plus schools has been a source of confusion for the
public. As the Ministry of National Education is yet to issue
criteria for the opening of a national plus school, any school
can claim itself to be national plus, only by adding certain
classes in addition to their national curriculum.

It is, certainly, bad news for the parents. But the
initiatives taken recently by ANPS to issue accreditation
standards for its members will be quite helpful.

Although there are a lot of national plus schools in almost
all major cities of Indonesia, it is not always easy to find the
right school for your child. Here are some tips:

Gather information
* Are published reports or brochures about the school available?
Ask the school to send them to you.
* Can the school provide you with statistics on student test
scores, discipline, attendance and parent satisfaction surveys?
Ask if they can send them to you.
* Do you know other parents who have children at this school? Ask
about their impressions and experiences.
* If you are considering a startup school, what evidence can the
school founders provide to show that the model for the school
will be effective?

Visiting Schools

* Talk to the teachers and principal to find out how well the
school meets your child's learning needs and the services that
are most important to you. Here are other questions you might
ask:
* Does the school have a special program focus or curriculum?
What kinds of global curriculum do they adopt? If so, what are
the main features?
* What is the average class size?
* What is the school's mission and educational philosophy?
* What are the school's goals? How does the school plan to
achieve them?
* What are the school's standards? For example, what should
children know by the fourth grade in science, or what writing
skills should they be able to demonstrate by the end of the sixth
grade?
* Does the school expect every child to meet the same standards?
The school should prepare all students to successfully compete in
today's demanding world.
* What kind of extra help is available for students who may be
struggling in academic areas?

Parents' Involvement.
* How are you greeted by administrators, teachers and office
staff?
* How are parents involved in the school?
* Is there an active parent organization in the school?
* How often do teachers communicate with parents? Are their
communications clear and respectful?
* Are parent conferences set up at times that are convenient for
parents? Are parents given plenty of advance notice so they can
arrange to meet with teachers?

Contact ANPS

If you are still unsure about what to do, it would be wise to
contact the Association of National Plus Schools (ANPS) or send
an e-mail to the association's executive director
wei_anps@yahoo.com for more information. -- The Jakarta Post