New Era for International Schools

Article 9 and 10 of the decree regulate about teachers and administrators in details. The number of Indonesian teachers at joint cooperation schools must be minimum of 30 percent and hold a bachelor degree from related major. While for administrators, the minimum quota for Indonesian is 80 percent.

The head of school or principal, at least, has to hold a master degree and the expatriates cannot be employed in any position that deals with personnel and human resources. By this rule, schools that do not meet the minimum percentage should deport their expatriate teachers, or add the number of Indonesian teachers to make the composition ideal.

Most of the joint cooperation schools will be able to adapt with this new regulation. It is proven that from 114 former international schools spread over the country, the Ministry of Education and Culture c.q Directorate General of Early Childhood, Non-formal and Informal Education has issued 107 licenses by December 1, 2014. Similarly, other DGs in the Ministry have also issued approximately the same number of licenses.

The other schools “surrender” and choose to become national schools because they cannot meet the requirement. It shows that schools that during this period use the word ‘international’ as part of their name do not meet the international standards.

This new decree gives hope for a new era of international school management. Government, schools, and students as well as parents will get international values and services to make Indonesian education brighter.

 

Yohan Rubiyantoro,

Cooperation Affairs Analyst, and Member of International Schools License Verificator, Directorate General of Early Childhood, and Community Education. The views expressed are personal.