Erwida Maulia and Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 03/11/2010 12:14 PM
The government's plan to review the status of "international" schools, following the issuance of a regulation on school management, has received mixed responses from self-styled "international schools".
Deputy National Education Minister Fasli Jalal, said the government would assess self-styled international schools and strip them of the title if they did not meet government standards.
Some schools have expressed readiness for an assessment, while others say the government has set overly high standards for international schools.
Etika Hia, an assistant to the principal of High Scope Indonesia - one of the many "international schools", said his school was ready to face the government's assessment. He said the government had already recognized High Scope as an international-standard school.
"Our school, especially the high school, has been recognized as an international school by the government. If the new regulation requires a review *of the status*, we won't be worried," Etika said.
"In fact we appreciate the government's intention to reassess the system. Then it will be clear which schools really deserve the *international' status," he added.
But an executive of another international-labeled school, who asked not to be named, questioned the standards the government would use to assess international schools.
He said the government had set a standard that many schools would be unable to meet.
"The government made the regulation without seeking input from education institutions. The standard is just too idealistic. Schools will have to set very high tuition fees to be eligible for the status," he added.
The two education practitioners, however, share the view the government has yet to inform schools about the new regulation.
A 2010 government regulation issued in January, addresses the management and organization of education and mandates sanctions for "international" schools that do not meet the government's standard.
Over the past few years, "international" schools have been spreading rapidly, but only a few are believed to legitimately warrant the status.
Article 213 (1) of the new regulation specifies sanctions that range from warnings, to revocation of subsidies and even school operating licenses.
Article 213 (2) stipulates, "The license may be revoked after a maximum of three years of counseling with the government or local administration and no progress has been made."
Fasli said sanctions would be imposed on self-proclaimed international schools and international schools that failed to meet the required standard.
