International Schools in Indonesia

Simplewords
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:29 pm

International Schools in Indonesia

Post by Simplewords »

Hello All,

I am currently living and teaching in Indonesia, and wanted to pass along some news relevant to all international schools in this country. The government has recently begun enforcing laws that affect all international schools and expatriate teachers, but will especially impact new teachers trying to get their work visas (KITAS). Among the new laws are:

1) A ban on the existence of international schools with the exception of those schools directly linked to an embassy. Schools linked to Embassies cannot have ANY Indonesian students.

2) All other schools must now be Indonesian National Schools. Those schools wishing to continue offering any international curriculum (IB, AP, Cambridge International) can only offer such courses as "enrichment" classes, and must be re-accredited prior to doing so.

3) Until a school has gained its new accreditation, it is illegal for it to employee expatriates.

4) It is illegal for an expatriate to hold a Director or hiring position.

5) International school teachers should be proficient in Bahasa Indonesian (I think there are probably work arounds on this one).

Like many expatriate teachers new to Indonesia, our applications for work visas have not been processed, despite having been submitted to the appropriate agency in April 2014. It is not known when, or even if, our visas will be approved, but the new estimate is mid-February. Having been told that such delays were common in Indonesia we have continued to teach while awaiting our visas. Our school has asked all new hires to stay home on paid leave after the break.

Here are some links to news articles:
https://gjismyp.wordpress.com/2014/06/0 ... ns-312014/

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014 ... ecree.html

http://indonesianewsstand.com/news/read ... ernational

https://sekolahvictoryplus.wordpress.com/2014/12/ (about halfway down the page)

http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/ ... indonesia/

http://indonesianewsstand.com/news/read ... -Confusion
wayfarer
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:47 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by wayfarer »

Where does this leave JIS ??? Joint adventure ..... ??? Translates into what ?
lantana
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:27 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by lantana »

I'm also currently teaching in Indonesia.

Have you read the full text of the legislation affecting International Schools in Indonesia?

You've posted some things here that I haven't heard of yet, though it seems that among (former) International Schools in Indonesia, there is a lot of confusion about what the new requirements are. Some of this confusion is transferred from the officials responsible for ensuring adherence to the ruling, as the officials themselves are unsure about all the requirements and also about how to enforce them. Some of the confusion certainly comes from what the schools are sharing with their hired staff. I am experiencing this, as I'm hearing things from foreign Embassy staff who are aware of the ruling that are different from what I've heard from the administration at the school.

I haven't yet read the legislation itself, so I'm curious if you have.
Simplewords
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:29 pm

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by Simplewords »

Wayfarer, I am not sure what is happening at JIS. My guess is that they have been busy putting together materials to gain the new type of accreditation required in order to continue operating. My understanding of the situation leads me to believe they will now operate as an SPK school, offering both an international and national curriculum. Their students with Indonesian passports will all have to take part in the national (opting out is no loner an option), but can add the international on top and, each will have to sit the UN exam.

Lantana, I haven't read the legislation (mostly because my Bahasa Indonesian is still basic!). I've relayed here either what I've pulled out of the news articles and/or what we've been told by the administration of our school. Everyone at my current school is, as you say, a bit confused by the whole situation and unsure as to what the future holds. They say that this situation is so unusual that they're not sure as to what to expect, and this is from people who have been in education in Indonesia for years.
vandsmith
Posts: 348
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:16 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by vandsmith »

i heard a few months back (quite possibly even longer than that) that all the "international" schools had to drop the "international" moniker for some reason. i'd be interested to see what happens over the next couple of weeks though...

v.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by PsyGuy »

Thanks for the update and the post, but for the real ITs at real ISs and even for the ones that arent, more will be said and written than will be done. This is not the first time Indonesia has had a "crack down". Cash will exchange hands loop holes will be discovered, exemptions granted. Going through your regulations individually:

1) A "link" to an embassy will be established by embassies having an application for some form of association membership. They will send a vice counsel out annually, walk around, have lunch and then give the school a certificate of some type. Of course there will be a fee for this.

2) Response 1 above will make this a moot point except for school that were never really ISs to begin with.

3) Money will GREATLY speed up the new accreditation process.

4) These schools will just hire a host national figure head who will rubber stamp the actual directors paperwork.

5) "Should" be is the operative term, and proficient is very subjective. They will likely follow Thailand and require some kind of weekend culture and language course to get a certificate. Of course this course will have a fee.

If your school had the bank they could get your visas and work permits processed.
Simplewords
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:29 pm

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by Simplewords »

From what I hear, this time round is unlike what has been seen/done before here in Indonesia, including that money to speed things up, or provide a work around, has been refused. Maybe the offered amount just wasn't enough, my school has some bank, but not a huge account. Under the new laws if a school links to an embassy it will allow them to call themselves an international school and they will not have to teach the national curriculum. However, it will also mean they cannot have any Indonesian passport holding students. Otherwise, all the schools wanting to hire expats have to become SPK schools, and their Indonesian students must now all take the national exams. Some of these kids have been opting out for years, so this will stink for them. I'm guessing a lot will now attend the Saturday sessions with tutors who provide "cram for the test" sessions. However, they won't be happy about giving up their Saturdays and I suspect it will not fit well with their family's lifestyle.

I hope you are right, PsyGuy, and that this time will turn out to be more smoke than fire. That said, in the meantime it is greatly damaging smaller schools that don't have the bank accounts of places like JIS.
JScott
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:58 pm

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by JScott »

From what I understand, these changes are not going to go away. JIS has already changed its name to Jakarta Intercultural School, and BIS is now British School Jakarta. Given these two schools have changed their names, especially JIS, I would assume the landscape is and will change in Indonesia.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by PsyGuy »

Every crackdown and change and new system is always described as being unlike the ones before it. Changing names is exactly what I mean, change the name no more problem. Easy fixes for what looks like some monumental challenge.
JScott
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:58 pm

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by JScott »

I am not sure there have been proposed changes of this magnitude before in Indonesia. The ability to use money to get what you want and need in Indonesia has always been prevalent (and it still is). The powerhouse JIS was not able to brush this all under the rug, which to me is the most telling. Several teachers at JIS had to really sweat it out while waiting to secure work visas for this school year. That said, only time will tell how many of these changes will be enforced.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

Every change and crackdown that proceeds the previous one is always of unprecedented change, otherwise no one would take notice. If they were sweating its because dmin let them. JIS could really make anything happen they want, not openly but happen none the less.
Cheery Littlebottom
Posts: 207
Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by Cheery Littlebottom »

Dear Simpleword
Thanks for the roundup on this situation. Can you elucidate a little further on your comment regarding the illegality of having a western director? That's the only thing you mention that I haven't heard of. Perhaps this is one interpretation of the rule regarding no more than 49% foreign interest ownership?
Thanks
Cheery
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by PsyGuy »

Ownerships representative (CEO) must be a Indonesian national. It doesnt matter how many layers of senior or executive administration there are, but the organizations managing director need to be an Indonesian national. You could have a HOS who is a foreigner as long as the person above them whatever title you call them is senior and a Indonesian national your fine.
Cheery Littlebottom
Posts: 207
Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 8:32 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by Cheery Littlebottom »

For those of you who are interested, this article pretty much summarises the state of affairs with regard to the falsely accused JIS teachers.
http://www.chch.com/bantleman-trial-continues/
dover2013
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:30 am

Re: International Schools in Indonesia

Post by dover2013 »

JScott wrote:
> I am not sure there have been proposed changes of this magnitude before in
> Indonesia. The ability to use money to get what you want and need in
> Indonesia has always been prevalent (and it still is). The powerhouse JIS
> was not able to brush this all under the rug, which to me is the most
> telling. Several teachers at JIS had to really sweat it out while waiting
> to secure work visas for this school year. That said, only time will tell
> how many of these changes will be enforced.

Indeed. The "powerhouse" JIS had to change its name from Jakarta International School to Jakarta Intercultural School and is unable to back its wrongly accused teachers and can't easily secure work visas. The British International School has changed its name to the British School. Both of these schools are powerhouses and JIS is the real deal when it becomes to being a powerhouse international school. If it has to lay its sword down then the others are screwed. But yes time will tell and could well be forgotten when a bit of money persuades some members of government to moderate their views. It might be more than a bit though.
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