From : International Conference on Islamic Education, KL

THE DILEMMA OF NATIONAL SCHOOLS WITH INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
Zulfan Haidar Zamzuri Umar
Counselor
Head of Department Guidance and Counseling
International Islamic School IIUM
Cambridge International Exam Center MY102.
Contents:
Introduction: where it all begins
Current Statistic: The blooming schools
Current Problems: Hidden facts-Current dreams
The Identity Crisis: National or International
The Dilemma: Either / or
The Bombshell: Where to go from here
Workable Solutions for future Indonesia:

Introduction:
Where it all begins: UU No. 20, year 2003: Sisdiknas verse 50, article 3: the government intend to develop national schools with an international standard.
The Vision: to produce intelligent students who possess a firm belief in God, good attitude and mannerism, national identity to compete in both national and international arena.

The Mission: to upgrade the national educational services and graduates to an international standard.
The development: this open invitation from the central government has sparked excitement to businessmen and mixed responses to educators and teachers alike.
The fact: no clear guidance and supervision from the government are immediately available leading some schools that embrace the programs to freely interpret the invitation without solid future program for the international graduates.
Current Development and Statistics
Following a national invitation from the government, hundreds of schools start adopting the international curriculums and bringing in foreign teachers and principals.
In 2004 in Jakarta: SMAN 70 and Labschool adopted Cambridge Advance Level, this was followed by SMAN 8, SMAN 21, SMAN 68. Surprisingly, the invitation is not well welcome in Jogjakarta and Bandung---two cities famously known as the “city of learning”.
At the end of 2009: 260 schools have been registered as the having the prestigious status, Sekolah Bertaraf International–100 SMAs, 100 SMPs, and 60 SMKs.
Most popular choices of foreign curriculums: Cambridge International Examination (CIE) and International Baccalaureate (IB). CIE certificate can lead its holders to the world Ivy Leagues of world best universities: Cambridge, Oxford, London in Europe and Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Smithsonian, Yale, Temple and Princeton in USA.
Schools with such curriculums are then asking for tuitions fees equivalent to tuition fees of either masters or doctoral studies or in some extreme cases, masters and doctoral fees combined.

Current problems: Clear and Present Danger
Teachers’ competency: according to a survey it will take 3-7 years of training for teachers to master and deliver the subjects well with proper English skills and competency.
Students’ language proficiency: if it takes 3-7 years for a teachers to master both subject and language, how long it takes for the whole school to absorb and understand the teaching and learning processes.
Fantastic annual tuition fees: Kindergarten USD1200-3000, Primary USD 3800-4100, Secondary USD 4800-5600, excluding development fees, extracurricular and other activities. Sinarmas World Academy asking for this: G1-4 Rp80 millions, G5-6 Rp82 millions, and G7-10 Rp89 millions.
School’s status: these international schools with fantastic tuition fees and school facilities, soon become the “elite few” and are affordable only by “super rich parents.”



The Identity Crisis
Indonesia has make it mandatory for each and every citizen, a national examination in all school level.
This has created a national identity crisis among students who have the intentions to further their studies abroad and holders of either Cambridge O or A level certificates.
Why should international schools make it mandatory for every student to sit for the national examination?
Confusing Dualisms: To be national certificate holders or international holders or both?
The lack of clear briefing from the school authority for both parents and students on this issue will intensify the crisis.
On top of this problem, all national universities only accept students with national examination certificates.
Therefore all Indonesian students who studied abroad and intend to take their degrees in national universities should sit for exam on their own by taking the infamous C package.

The Dilemma: Either / or
Having the freedom to implement the both national and international curriculum and learning from other international schools in the Asean countries leads to the notion of this:
national exam and certificate for students who want to further their studies in national universities;
International exam and certificates for graduates who intend to go to Europe or North America, two popular choices beside Australia and Japan.
The Bombshell: Where to go
It is seems easier to establish National school with international curriculum than to provide its graduates with financial assistant and links to universities / colleges to further their studies.
It will be national waste of time and money if these international graduates are unable to be admitted in prestigious international universities.
Surprisingly, only few elite International Schools in Jakarta have access to direct admission to prestigious universities in Europe and North America and Canada.
Workable Solution for the Future
Since establishing an entirely International Program for the whole school requires tremendous efforts in both teachers and learners it is logical to suggest the followings:
1). Establishing international classes with solid program and creative adaptation of both national and international curriculums.
2). Providing graduates with direct links to international higher institutions (universities/colleges)
3). Providing students a freedom of choice to take either international exam (for international admission) or national exam (national admission)

Concluding Remarks:
Indonesia is making a dangerous move by allowing international curriculum to be freely adapted in the national schools back up by national policy.
Soon or later SBI-National schools with International program will intensify the already widening gap between the elite few and the commoners.
Brilliant graduates of international schools who failed to be admitted in international universities/colleges will become “smart garbage” who will eventually back fire their alma-mater—and the nation as a whole.