The International Schools Review Forum

I really do not see the big deal.......

It would mean the end of international schools in Indonesia. That's not a big deal?

Foreign private schools could no longer call themselves international, can't have the word in the name of their school, can't put the word "international" in any of their unit plans, programs, classes, or lessons, and obligated to teach religion.

Similar proposed policies have been around for years in Indonesia, yet nothing ever eventuates. Money and influence always find a way to sidestep the (lackadaisical) enforcement. I'll believe it when I see it.

It's silly season in Jakarta. General elections and Ramadan. Those with the biggest mouths and axes to grind, with political and religious agendas and who want to bash the west have come up with their usual nonsense.
Changing the names and hassling ex-pats over visa issues are par for the course.
If you look carefully, MOST schools all around the world are obliged to teach religion.
Apparently this problem, as the OP said, is fairly perennial.

It might be just another round of hassles, but my school is taking these "new rules" VERY seriously. As are a lot of other schools. There was a meeting of school directors in my region a few weeks ago to try to figure out how to move forward. Our principal told me he'd never been to meeting that was as serious as that one was.

It's not the new regulations as far as teaching our local students religion and language that seems to be freaking out admin. That can be easily done. (And my school does some of it already anyway.) It's the crackdown on KITAS/employment rules that's the bigger issue.

Take a look at this:
http://www.smh.com.au/world/two-austral ... zrxyq.html

Some staff at my school have been told their contracts will not be renewed because they do not have the proper qualifications.
This was sent to staff a few weeks ago and came from the Education Ministry:

-Teacher must hold at least a Bachelor degree in a field of education - and be teaching in that field. Ideally, a teacher should be holding a Bachelor of Education.
- A school principal must hold a Master of Education degree.
- A teacher needs five years from when a degree is issued before qualifying for a KITAS.
- Early Years teachers must have a Bachelor in Early Years or a psychology degree. A transcript identifying early years courses studied as part of a degree will not suffice.
- A work permit states that any expat teacher has a responsibility to be training an Indonesian staff member to take over a grade or class.
- An original copy of certification is to be presented to the Education Department. If an original cannot be shown, six copies of certificates are required - all verified and stamped by a JP or ambassador. The original stamp must be used on every document - you cannot get one stamped and then make copies.
- Any successful candidate needs to be able to communicate in Bahasa Indonesia.
- The school will submit a successful candidate's CV and all certificates to the Department of Education for checking before any contract can be issued.

If you still don't think it's a big deal!!!!

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j ... y-cleaners

Indonesia are certainly going to put international schools through the ringer from now on after the child abuse scandal. Yes it might be reactionary but they have lost a lot of face with the JIS happenings.

It's called an Administrative Deportation. JIS finished yesterday, and most folks were flying out then or today or tomorrow anyway. There's no note made in the passport, no force or compulsion offered, and no strictures about returning to the country. The people concerned simply fly home, reapply and come back in the new term with new visas. Whilst it doesn't happen all the time, it happens quite regularly when some swivel-eyed lunatic wants to apply a bit of political pressure. Periodically, this type of face-saving ire is directed at diplomatic staff too, often those associated with the Australian embassy as the nearest western power to lash out at.
So doesn't the education ministry look cool now? "Yes, we deported 20 teachers! This has really helped the situation!"
In fact, some good is already coming out of this horrible situation. Indonesia is talking about the fact that child abuse happens, as it happens everywhere. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 100 males have these proclivities and whilst many do not act upon them, some do. They are always there, sadly, and as teachers we must always have this at the backs of our minds. The best defence against these predators is dialogue between ourselves and with our children.
JIS is still a fantastic school, and still will be when term starts up in August. It has educated thousands of Indonesians who will go on to fulfill important roles in Indonesian society. Short term political and religious agendas will not be allowed to seriously impact this contribution. I wish them well after such an awful tragedy.
I hope that the "HUGE implication" for all international schools, not just Indonesian ones, are improved systems for the detection of sexual predators and the protection of our students. I know for a fact that the majority of international schools are doing just that - looking at their own systems and taking advice on how best to go forward.

Getting worse for JIS. Another police report filed and the police ask for a delay in the deportations of 2 of the teachers so that they can be questioned.

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