One of the most important considerations in deciding whether to make the leap of moving to Indonesia is the schooling options for our children. Parents moving children from abroad are naturally apprehensive about putting their kids in a completely different environment. There are many schooling options available, beyond the simple private/public distinction that most people may be accustomed to. Below is an overview of the commonly available educational options, along with pros and cons.
International Schools
Although since 2015 the Ministry of Education no longer allows the word "International" to be used in a school's name, due to concerns over misuse of the term, many schools are still colloquially referred to as international schools. They typically use an IB or Cambridge curriculum, with allowance for some Indonesian topics, such as Bahasa Indonesia, and local cultural content. They follow a typical 5-day school week, usually from about 8 am to 3 pm. The language of instruction is usually English. The pupils hail from many parts of the world, including Indonesia. The teaching staff is usually mostly expat, although Indonesian teachers are also employed. Fees are high, ranging from USD 2,500-25,000 per year, depending on the school and grade level. There are also initial enrollment charges which could also be in the USD 2,500 to 5,000 range, and recurring costs usually labelled as administration fees, facility fees, IT fees and similar. Facilities are typically excellent, including computing facilities, libraries, musical instruments, sporting facilities etc., allowing students a wide range of curricular activities.
Pros: International curriculum, English as instructional language, multi-cultural student body, world class facilities.
Cons: Expensive.
National Plus Schools
These schools follow the Indonesian national curriculum, and add components from an international curriculum, additional instructions in English, and/or additional extracurricular activities. If you think this is confusing, you are not mistaken. Althoughan accreditation body exists, the Association of National and Private Schools (ANPS - http://anps-bi.org/), there are no government-enforced standards. Thus quality of National Plus schools varies widely, from a school similar in quality to the best "international" schools, to a school that has perhaps one expat teacher teaching all the English classes. Still, the better National Plus schools are very good, and are often a bargain compared to a full fledged "international" school. National Plus schools are also often affiliated with a religious denomination. Pupils are mostly Indonesian, but with a lot of expat and mixed-marriage kids as well. Thus the student body is quite multi-cultural.
Pros: Possible to get good education at a lower price than International school, multi-cultural student body, good facilities.
Cons: Careful research is required to determine the quality of the schools you are considering.
National Schools
These are schools that follow the Indonesian curriculum. They are split into Sekolah Dasar (SD – Grades 1-6), Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP – Grades 7-9) and Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA – Grades 10-12). There are public and private schools. Public schools are often simply numbered by city (such as SMA Negeri 1 – Denpasar), while private schools have proper names. Indonesian schools usually follow a 6-day school week, with Friday being a half day, and the rest of the time school runs from about 7am to 1pm. The Indonesian curriculum requires religious education in one of the six sanctioned state religions, although in rural areas where there aren't many adherents outside the main religion, it is possible that only one religion is taught. Private National Schools are typically affiliated with a religious denomination, most prominently Catholic schools. Prior to the rise of international and National Plus schools, the Indonesian elite would send their kids to Catholic Schools regardless of their own religion, due to the quality of education. However, outside the very highest rated national schools, the quality of education is often mediocre, and facilities sorely lacking. It is not uncommon for teachers to be absent and classes dismissed early. Rules are often strict, and a lot of time is often spent on activities such as flag raising ceremonies. While national schools are a viable option for expats wishing to immerse their children in the Indonesian experience, and for mixed-marriage families, careful research is recommended before choosing a school. On the flip side, tuition ranges from practically free to about $400/year.
Pros: Adequate education, for a very low price. Total Indonesian immersion.
Cons: Rigid national curriculum, facilities often lacking, careful research is strongly recommended before choosing a school. School day that starts at 7am.
Islamic Schools
Recently gaining popularity, Islamic schools are now available in every major city. They are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Religion (not Education), so it is immediately clear where the priorities are. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI), Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MT) and Madrasah Aliyah (MA), are the equivalents of SD, SMP and SMA, respectively. Similar to National Schools in secular education, these schools add strong emphasis on Islamic Studies and Arabic. Student attire follows Islamic religious requirements, as do all other curricular activities. Cautions that apply to National Schools also apply to Islamic Schools, namely lack of facilities, rigid curriculum, and so on.
Pros: Adequate education, low price. Islamic content for those who desire it.
Cons: Rigid curriculum, facilities often lacking, careful research is strongly recommended before choosing a school.
Corrections/questions/comments? Please post below!
International Schools
Although since 2015 the Ministry of Education no longer allows the word "International" to be used in a school's name, due to concerns over misuse of the term, many schools are still colloquially referred to as international schools. They typically use an IB or Cambridge curriculum, with allowance for some Indonesian topics, such as Bahasa Indonesia, and local cultural content. They follow a typical 5-day school week, usually from about 8 am to 3 pm. The language of instruction is usually English. The pupils hail from many parts of the world, including Indonesia. The teaching staff is usually mostly expat, although Indonesian teachers are also employed. Fees are high, ranging from USD 2,500-25,000 per year, depending on the school and grade level. There are also initial enrollment charges which could also be in the USD 2,500 to 5,000 range, and recurring costs usually labelled as administration fees, facility fees, IT fees and similar. Facilities are typically excellent, including computing facilities, libraries, musical instruments, sporting facilities etc., allowing students a wide range of curricular activities.
Pros: International curriculum, English as instructional language, multi-cultural student body, world class facilities.
Cons: Expensive.
National Plus Schools
These schools follow the Indonesian national curriculum, and add components from an international curriculum, additional instructions in English, and/or additional extracurricular activities. If you think this is confusing, you are not mistaken. Althoughan accreditation body exists, the Association of National and Private Schools (ANPS - http://anps-bi.org/), there are no government-enforced standards. Thus quality of National Plus schools varies widely, from a school similar in quality to the best "international" schools, to a school that has perhaps one expat teacher teaching all the English classes. Still, the better National Plus schools are very good, and are often a bargain compared to a full fledged "international" school. National Plus schools are also often affiliated with a religious denomination. Pupils are mostly Indonesian, but with a lot of expat and mixed-marriage kids as well. Thus the student body is quite multi-cultural.
Pros: Possible to get good education at a lower price than International school, multi-cultural student body, good facilities.
Cons: Careful research is required to determine the quality of the schools you are considering.
National Schools
These are schools that follow the Indonesian curriculum. They are split into Sekolah Dasar (SD – Grades 1-6), Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP – Grades 7-9) and Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA – Grades 10-12). There are public and private schools. Public schools are often simply numbered by city (such as SMA Negeri 1 – Denpasar), while private schools have proper names. Indonesian schools usually follow a 6-day school week, with Friday being a half day, and the rest of the time school runs from about 7am to 1pm. The Indonesian curriculum requires religious education in one of the six sanctioned state religions, although in rural areas where there aren't many adherents outside the main religion, it is possible that only one religion is taught. Private National Schools are typically affiliated with a religious denomination, most prominently Catholic schools. Prior to the rise of international and National Plus schools, the Indonesian elite would send their kids to Catholic Schools regardless of their own religion, due to the quality of education. However, outside the very highest rated national schools, the quality of education is often mediocre, and facilities sorely lacking. It is not uncommon for teachers to be absent and classes dismissed early. Rules are often strict, and a lot of time is often spent on activities such as flag raising ceremonies. While national schools are a viable option for expats wishing to immerse their children in the Indonesian experience, and for mixed-marriage families, careful research is recommended before choosing a school. On the flip side, tuition ranges from practically free to about $400/year.
Pros: Adequate education, for a very low price. Total Indonesian immersion.
Cons: Rigid national curriculum, facilities often lacking, careful research is strongly recommended before choosing a school. School day that starts at 7am.
Islamic Schools
Recently gaining popularity, Islamic schools are now available in every major city. They are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Religion (not Education), so it is immediately clear where the priorities are. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI), Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MT) and Madrasah Aliyah (MA), are the equivalents of SD, SMP and SMA, respectively. Similar to National Schools in secular education, these schools add strong emphasis on Islamic Studies and Arabic. Student attire follows Islamic religious requirements, as do all other curricular activities. Cautions that apply to National Schools also apply to Islamic Schools, namely lack of facilities, rigid curriculum, and so on.
Pros: Adequate education, low price. Islamic content for those who desire it.
Cons: Rigid curriculum, facilities often lacking, careful research is strongly recommended before choosing a school.
Corrections/questions/comments? Please post below!
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