Homeschooling in Indonesia: Trade-offs

This is an opinion about how and what the author thinks about home-schooling in Indonesia based on an article, "13 Things Homeschoolers Want You to Know" by Michelle Crouch.

Indonesia has a governmental program about education which is called "Wajib belajar 9 tahun" or obligation to be educated for at least 9 years, from elementary to junior high level (9th grade). The program was created for 7-15 years old subject. "Wajar" is the acronym version of the program, it is also a word in Indonesian which means "normally". That makes attending formal school is a common thing to do in Indonesia. The purpose of the program is to evenly split education across Indonesians and to increase the quality level of education in Indonesia. It is regulated by Constitution of Republic Indonesia No. 20 about National Education System (Undang-undang no. 20 tahun 2003 tentang sistem pendidikan nasional).

After a little introduction about the base policy in educational field for Indonesians, a question regarding this writing raised: "Is there any chance/possibilities to do home-schooling in Indonesia?

By the law, it is not an illegal act nor an act of crime to do home-schooling in Indonesia. The law itself does not mention about the required education to be attended in a formal school. But it is also not an easy feat for the parents and the children who choose to do home-schooling in Indonesia. There is an organization whose member are home schoolers in Indonesia called Perkumpulan Homeschooler Indonesia (PHI). It is an association by parents or families who do home-schooling in Indonesia. PHI summarized few problems they have faced during the process of doing home-schooling in Indonesia:

1.  Informal education policies are too low in number.
2.  Government and public failed to understand or having misconception about home-schooling.
3.  There are discrimination occurred to the home-schooled student/children.
4.  Some of home schooler families do not know the legal policy or regulation regarding to home-schooling.
5.  Minimal connectivity between home schooler on provinces and cities across Indonesia.

PHI achieved approval from the government and managed to acquired legal basis to operate from the decree of the ministry of justice and human rights of Indonesia. Further info regarding PHI and their activities can be accessed in their website. The link provided in the reference.

There are more problems that facing home schooler in Indonesia. The following problems above are only the tip and more likely only cover the outside, about policies, governmental, and public issues. The real problems are lies within the home-schooling itself. The following things about home-schooling matter in Reader's Digest's article are:

1. The largest subset is Christian. It is a stereotype about who does the home-schooling there.
2. Qualifications and guidelines vary widely. High school diploma is needed as parent to do home-schooling in some states (in the article).
3. There are home-schooling parents who are not teaching their kids.
4. Home-schooled kids undergone same socialization process as the other kids in formal school.
5. Home-schooling can be done by hiring tutors or teachers.
6. Families with more than 1 child, does not receive education equally.
7. The curriculums are differed for each family.
8. Parents can teach what formal school does not provide, like practical skills and field trips.
9. Formal school will lose student if home-schooling kids are increasing in number.
10. Parents having anxiety issues about how good they are as their kids’ teacher.
11. There are no standards for grade in home-schooling to identify home-schooled kids.
12. Home-schooled kids undergone same socialization process as the other kids in formal school.
13. Families who do home-schooling get to spent more time together.

Thirteen things that mentioned above are the simplified version from the original article by Michelle Crouch. If the context is within Indonesia, there are a few of it that does not relevant. But most of it, can be applied for basic methods or even modified to be policies in Indonesia.  

Point number 2 will be applicable in Indonesia if the required diploma is higher than high school diploma. Why? Because the education quality is different for each country, including Indonesia, and it would be wise to make it as a standard policy started from association like PHI. The education of the parents will become a great limiter, the majority—An analysis by the World Bank showed that 55 percent of Indonesians who complete school are functionally illiterate—won’t be able to choose to practice home-schooling.

The third point will occur if home-schooling practice is increasing in number in Indonesia. The first factor will be the cost of the school. To avoid paying tuition fee, Indonesians will use home-schooling as an excuse. Secondly, many of Indonesians are employees, so, there is no time to teach them personally like the ideal home-schooling.

The other points mentioned in the article, are the same, it needed to be adjusted to fit in Indonesia’s environment. A good understanding of Indonesians environmental background is needed to make the possibilities to do home-schooling higher, hence there are several risks not to forget about.

Regarding to the article about our situation right now—the COVID-19 pandemic situation—parents are forced to do the home-schooling. The school forced to give online curriculum and the parents are responsible to make sure their kids receiving the educations. Aside from the job they have, parents have more control to educate their kids in their way. It was forced, yes, but parents in this situation is given chances to share what’s on their mind. It is indeed a problem, they pay tuition fee, yet, still have to pay attention to their kids about their online school.