New Era for International Schools

Today is the first day of School, Kids! Not only for the national schools across Indonesia, but also for some international schools. However, this semester will be special for international schools in Indonesia. It will be the time when they can no longer use 'international' as part of their school name. Also the school management could not employ foreign teachers more than 70 percent from the total number of teachers. Furthermore, they have to teach Indonesian culture study and Bahasa Indonesia to expatriate students and teachers.

The Ministry of Education and Culture, Republic of Indonesia has issued an ultimatum to all international schools to comply with these arrangements by December 1, 2014 based on the Minister of Education and Culture Decree Number 31/2014. It is stipulated that an international school could alter to be a diplomatic school, a national school or a joint cooperation school. It turns out that most of them choose the last option.

Many people think that this decree was a sudden response from the Ministry for the sexual harassment allegation that happened at Jakarta International School (JIS). In fact, the decree has been under formulation since three years ago. The decree is the operational detail of the Government Regulation Number 66/2010 about Education Provision and Management. It is stated that foreign institutions have to cooperate with Indonesian schools in terms of providing education delivery and management.

The schools that have to comply with this decree are; First, education institutions that are stated by the founder as an international school; Second, schools that are operated and managed by foreign education institutions. Third, joint operational schools between foreign and Indonesian parties; And last but not least, any form of foreign schools providing education in Indonesia.

This regulation is designed to protect children and parents, as well as schools, because many schools use 'international' as part of their name, but they do not meet international standards. They use the word ‘international’, simply as a strategy to attract parents, and to receive financial benefit as high as they could get. When parents enroll their children to the school, they are disappointed because the school is not using an international curriculum, has no foreign teachers, and has no expatriate students.

Based on these findings, the Ministry forced the international schools to show their ‘true color’. They must omit the word ‘international’ from their names. For example, Jakarta International School changed to Jakarta Intercultural School, British International School to British School, Gandhi Memorial International School to Gandhi Memorial Indonesia School, etc.

So is it only a matter of changing name? No. The decree has some important points of regulation. A joint cooperation school is not allowed to decline Indonesian students who wish to apply to that school with proper process. The school also has to deliver compulsory subjects, such as religious studies, Indonesia language, and citizenship. All Indonesian students have to take the National Examination.

While for expatriate students, the school must provide Indonesian language and culture. The aim of this policy is to make Indonesian students know their roots, their nation, and where they come from. While for expatriate students, they surely need to learn the culture and language where they live.

To assure the quality of joint cooperation schools, the government requires them to have detailed-school master plan that consists of vision and mission, curriculum, student competence standards, learning process, data of students, teachers, and administrators, facilities, assessment method, accreditation and financing. The technical guidance of the decree even requires the schools to submit their bank reference, or asset statement to get license from the government. This is to make sure that the schools will operate for long period of time as a protection for students and parents.

Article 4 of the decree mentions that joint cooperation schools must provide high technology learning facilities, digital library, multimedia room and clinic or health facility.

Expatriate Teachers

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.