Education in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Education
in Indonesia
is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education of Indonesia (Kementerian Pendidikan Nasional Republik Indonesia or Kemdiknas, formerly the Department of Education and Culture of Indonesia) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia (Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia or Kemenag). In Indonesia, all citizens must undertake nine years of compulsory education, six years at elementary level and three in junior high school. Islamic schools are the responsibility of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Education is defined as a planned effort to establish a study environment and education process so that the student may actively develop his/her own potential to gain the religious and spiritual level, consciousness, personality, intelligence
, behaviour and creativity
to him/herself, other citizens and for the nation. The constitution also notes that education in Indonesia is divided into two major parts, formal and non-formal. Formal education is divided again into three levels, primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Schools in indonesia are run either by the government (negeri) or privately (swasta). Some private schools refer to themselves as "national plus schools
" meaning that they go beyond the minimum government requirements, especially in relation to the use of English as medium of instruction or having an international curriculum instead of the national curriculum.
, a type of Islamic boarding school was introduced and several of them were established. The location of pesantren is mostly faraway from the hustling crowd of the city, resembling the location of Karsyan.
in Indonesia during the colonial era. At first, it was restricted for only Dutch or European people. In 1870, with the growth of Dutch Ethical Policy, formulated by Conrad Theodor van Deventer, those schools opened the doors for bumiputera
or native Indonesian. Those schools were called Sekolah Rakjat (Indonesian
: folk school), the embryo of what is called Sekolah Dasar (elementary school) nowadays.
The Dutch introduced a system of formal education for the local population of Indonesia, although this was restricted to certain privileged children. The system they introduced was roughly similar to the current structure, with the following levels:
The segregation between Dutch and Indonesian in Education pushed several Indonesian figures to start educational institutions for local people. Ahmad Dahlan
founded Muhammadiyah
in November 1912, and Ki Hajar Dewantara
founded Taman Siswa
in July 1922. Pesantren
was growing rapidly during this time period.
The Dutch colonial government also established a number of universities for native Indonesian on the island of Java
, such as:
By the 1930s, the Dutch had introduced limited formal education to nearly every province of the Dutch East Indies.
, known as PAUD (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini). From the age of 4, they attend kindergarten
(Taman Kanak-Kanak). This education is not compulsory for Indonesian citizens, as the aim of this is to prepare them for primary school. Of the forty-nine thousand kindergartens in Indonesia 99.35% are privately operated
schools. The kindergarten years are usually divided into "Class A" and "Class B" students spending a year in each class.
Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) is the Islamic alternative to SD, following a curriculum with more focus on Arabic and Islam.
in Indonesia
. After graduating from elementary school, students attend Middle School for three years from the age of 12-14. After three years of schooling and graduation, students may move on to Senior High School.
Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) is the Islamic equivalent of
, there are two types of senior high school. First is generally known as by the abbreviation "SMA" (Sekolah Menengah Atas) and second is SMK (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan). SMA differs from SMK in their studies. The students at SMA are prepared to continue their study to university while students of SMK are prepared to be ready to work after finishing their school without going to university/college. SMA is simply the university-preparatory school
while SMK is the vocational school
. Students attending SMA will be divided into 3 group of studies in their 11th grade, i.e. Science, Social studies, and Linguistic.
Based on the national constitution, Indonesian citizens do not have to attend high school as the citizens only require nine years of education. This is also reflected by the number of high schools in Indonesia, with just slightly below 9,000 schools.
Madrasah Aliyah (MA) is the Islamic equivalent of SMA, and Madrasah Aliyah Kejuruan (MAK) the Islamic equivalent of SMK.
There are different degrees in higher education, namely Diploma 3 (D3), Diploma 4 (D4), Strata 1 (S1), Strata 2 (S2) and Strata 3 (S3).
, Gadjah Mada University
and Bandung Institute of Technology
.
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education of Indonesia (Kementerian Pendidikan Nasional Republik Indonesia or Kemdiknas, formerly the Department of Education and Culture of Indonesia) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia (Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia or Kemenag). In Indonesia, all citizens must undertake nine years of compulsory education, six years at elementary level and three in junior high school. Islamic schools are the responsibility of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Education is defined as a planned effort to establish a study environment and education process so that the student may actively develop his/her own potential to gain the religious and spiritual level, consciousness, personality, intelligence
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
, behaviour and creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
to him/herself, other citizens and for the nation. The constitution also notes that education in Indonesia is divided into two major parts, formal and non-formal. Formal education is divided again into three levels, primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Schools in indonesia are run either by the government (negeri) or privately (swasta). Some private schools refer to themselves as "national plus schools
National Plus school
A National Plus school in Indonesia refers to a school that offers education beyond the minimum requirements of the national Indonesian accreditation authorities. It is an unofficial term, undefined by law, regulation or any official body and therefore open to interpretation in practice...
" meaning that they go beyond the minimum government requirements, especially in relation to the use of English as medium of instruction or having an international curriculum instead of the national curriculum.
Early kingdoms
Education system in the era of Hindu-Buddhist civilization is called karsyan. Karsyan is a place of hermitage. This method is highly religious, aimed for drawing oneself closer to God.Era of Islamic states
The emergence of Islamic state in Indonesia is noted by the acculturation of both Islamic tradition and Hindu-Buddhist tradition. At this time period, pondok pesantrenPesantren
Pesantren or Pondok Pesantren are Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. According to one popular tradition, the pesantren education system originated from traditional Javanese pondokan; dormitories; ashram for Hindu or viharas for Buddhists to learn religious philosophies, martial arts and...
, a type of Islamic boarding school was introduced and several of them were established. The location of pesantren is mostly faraway from the hustling crowd of the city, resembling the location of Karsyan.
Colonial era
Elementary education was introduced by the DutchDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
in Indonesia during the colonial era. At first, it was restricted for only Dutch or European people. In 1870, with the growth of Dutch Ethical Policy, formulated by Conrad Theodor van Deventer, those schools opened the doors for bumiputera
Bumiputera
The Bumiputera is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bhumiputra', which roughly translated means 'sons of the soil'. In both Malaysia and Brunei, the term is used to refer to a member of majority Malay ethnic group...
or native Indonesian. Those schools were called Sekolah Rakjat (Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
: folk school), the embryo of what is called Sekolah Dasar (elementary school) nowadays.
The Dutch introduced a system of formal education for the local population of Indonesia, although this was restricted to certain privileged children. The system they introduced was roughly similar to the current structure, with the following levels:
- ELS (Dutch: Europeesche Lagere School) - Primary School for Europeans
- HIS (Dutch: Hollandsch-Inlandsche School) - Primary School for Natives
- MULO (Dutch: Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs) - Middle School
- AMS (Dutch: Algeme(e)ne Middelbare School) - High School or College
- HBS (Dutch:Hogere Burger School) - Pre-University
The segregation between Dutch and Indonesian in Education pushed several Indonesian figures to start educational institutions for local people. Ahmad Dahlan
Ahmad Dahlan
Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan , born Muhammad Darwis, was an Indonesian Islamic revivalist who established Muhammadiyah in 1912.-Education:...
founded Muhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah is an Islamic organization in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah, literally means "followers of Muhammad"...
in November 1912, and Ki Hajar Dewantara
Ki Hajar Dewantara
Ki Hajar Dewantara , born Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat into a noble Javanese family of Yogyakarta, was a pioneer in the field of education in Indonesia...
founded Taman Siswa
Taman Siswa
The Taman Siswa was a Javanese educational movement in the Dutch East Indies, founded by Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat, a Javanese nobleman, also known as Ki Hadjar Dewantara , in July 1922.-Sources:...
in July 1922. Pesantren
Pesantren
Pesantren or Pondok Pesantren are Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. According to one popular tradition, the pesantren education system originated from traditional Javanese pondokan; dormitories; ashram for Hindu or viharas for Buddhists to learn religious philosophies, martial arts and...
was growing rapidly during this time period.
The Dutch colonial government also established a number of universities for native Indonesian on the island of Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, such as:
- School Tot Opleiding Van Indische Artsen or STOVIA, a medical school in BataviaJakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
- Nederland-Indische Artsen School, or NIAS, a medical school in SurabajaSurabayaSurabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
- Rechts Hoge School, a law school in BataviaJakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
- De Technische Hoges School, or THS, a technic school in BandoengBandungBandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
By the 1930s, the Dutch had introduced limited formal education to nearly every province of the Dutch East Indies.
School grades
The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of July and ends in December; the second begins in January and ends in June.| Level/Grade | Typical age |
|---|---|
| Preschool | |
| Pre-school playgroup Pre-school playgroup A pre-school playgroup, or in everyday usage just a playgroup, is an organised group providing care and socialisation for children under five. The term is widely used in the United Kingdom. Playgroups are less formal than the pre-school education of nursery schools... |
3-4 |
| Kindergarten Kindergarten A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school... |
4-6 |
| Elementary school Elementary school An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar... |
|
| 1st Grade First grade First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten... |
6–7 |
| 2nd Grade Second grade In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs.... |
7–8 |
| 3rd Grade Third grade In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs.... |
8–9 |
| 4th Grade Fourth grade Fourth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fourth grade is the fourth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 9 or 10 years old, depending on their birthday. It is a part of elementary school. In some parts of the United States, fourth grade... |
9–10 |
| 5th Grade Fifth grade Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens... |
10–11 |
| 6th Grade Sixth grade Sixth grade is a year of education in the United States and some other nations. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 11 – 12 years old... |
11–12 |
| Junior high school | |
| 7th grade Seventh grade Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school... |
12-13 |
| 8th Grade Eighth grade Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades... |
13-14 |
| 9th Grade Ninth grade Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school.... |
14-15 |
| Senior high school | |
| 10th Grade Tenth grade In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:... |
15–16 |
| 11th Grade Eleventh grade Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:... |
16–17 |
| 12th Grade Twelfth grade Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all... |
17–18 |
| Post-secondary education | |
| Tertiary education Tertiary education Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school... (College College A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations... or University University A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education... ) |
Ages vary (usually four years, referred to as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years) |
| Graduate education | |
| Adult education Adult education Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers... |
|
Curriculum education
| Type of Science | Subjects | Grade | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | # | Name | Elementary school Elementary school An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar... |
Junior high school | Senior high school | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th (NS Natural science The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods... ) |
12th (NS Natural science The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods... ) |
11th (SS) | 12th (SS) | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Education | 1 | Religious Studies | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Civics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Physical Education | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Information Technology and Communication | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Language (and Literature) | 1 | Bahasa Indonesia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Traditional/Local Language | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Chosen Modern Language (Arabic, French, or German) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Natural | 1 | Mathematics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Physics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Biology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Chemistry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Social | 1 | History | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Geography | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Economics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Sociology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Arts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total subjects | 15 | 17 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Early education
From the age of 2, children in Indonesia in general attend pre-school playgroupPre-school playgroup
A pre-school playgroup, or in everyday usage just a playgroup, is an organised group providing care and socialisation for children under five. The term is widely used in the United Kingdom. Playgroups are less formal than the pre-school education of nursery schools...
, known as PAUD (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini). From the age of 4, they attend kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
(Taman Kanak-Kanak). This education is not compulsory for Indonesian citizens, as the aim of this is to prepare them for primary school. Of the forty-nine thousand kindergartens in Indonesia 99.35% are privately operated
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
schools. The kindergarten years are usually divided into "Class A" and "Class B" students spending a year in each class.
Elementary school
Children ages 6–11 attend Sekolah Dasar (SD) (literally Elementary School). This level of education is compulsory for all Indonesian citizens, based on the national constitution. In contrast to the majority of privately run kindergartens, most elementary schools are government operated public schools, accounting for 93% of all elementary schools in Indonesia. Similar to education systems in the U.S. and Australia, students must study for six years to complete this level. Some schools offer an accelerated learning program, where students who perform well can finish elementary school in five years.Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) is the Islamic alternative to SD, following a curriculum with more focus on Arabic and Islam.
Junior high school
Junior High school, generally known by the abbreviation "SMP" (Sekolah Menengah Pertama) is part of basic educationBasic education
Basic education refers to the whole range of educational activities taking place in various settings , that aim to meet basic learning needs. According to the International Standard Classification of Education , basic education comprises primary education and lower secondary education...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. After graduating from elementary school, students attend Middle School for three years from the age of 12-14. After three years of schooling and graduation, students may move on to Senior High School.
Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) is the Islamic equivalent of
Senior High School
In IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, there are two types of senior high school. First is generally known as by the abbreviation "SMA" (Sekolah Menengah Atas) and second is SMK (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan). SMA differs from SMK in their studies. The students at SMA are prepared to continue their study to university while students of SMK are prepared to be ready to work after finishing their school without going to university/college. SMA is simply the university-preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
while SMK is the vocational school
Vocational school
A vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
. Students attending SMA will be divided into 3 group of studies in their 11th grade, i.e. Science, Social studies, and Linguistic.
Based on the national constitution, Indonesian citizens do not have to attend high school as the citizens only require nine years of education. This is also reflected by the number of high schools in Indonesia, with just slightly below 9,000 schools.
Madrasah Aliyah (MA) is the Islamic equivalent of SMA, and Madrasah Aliyah Kejuruan (MAK) the Islamic equivalent of SMK.
Higher education
After graduation from High school or college, students may attend a university (higher education). The higher education institution is categorized in two types: public and private which supervised by Ministry of National Education. There are four types of higher education institution: Universities, Institutes, Academies, and Polytechnics.There are different degrees in higher education, namely Diploma 3 (D3), Diploma 4 (D4), Strata 1 (S1), Strata 2 (S2) and Strata 3 (S3).
| Types of Degree | Indonesian Language | English Language |
|---|---|---|
| D3 | Ahli Madya | Associate's Degree Associate's degree An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years... |
| D4 | Sarjana | Bachelor's Degree Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world... |
| S1 | Sarjana | Bachelor's Degree Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world... |
| S2 | Magister | Master's Degree Master's degree A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice... |
| S3 | Doktor | Doctoral Degree Doctorate A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder... |
Education of students with special needs
In Indonesia, students with special needs might choose between going to a separate school, called Sekolah Luar Biasa (literally: Extraordinary School) or inclusive school.Foreign students
There are around 6,000 foreign students studying at universities in Indonesia, most of them come from Malaysia. In particular, they are in the field of Medicine, Pharmacy, Literature, Humanities, Islamic studies and Engineering. They are mainly enrolled in University of IndonesiaUniversity of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...
, Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University
The Gadjah Mada University is the largest and the oldest national university in Indonesia . founded on December 19, 1949; although the first lecture was given on 13 March 1946. The name was taken from the name of Majapahit's Prime Minister, Gajah Mada.UGM is located in Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa...
and Bandung Institute of Technology
Bandung Institute of Technology
The Bandung Institute of Technology or Institute of Technology, Bandung is a state, coeducational research university located in Bandung, Indonesia. Established in 1920, ITB is the oldest technology-oriented university in Indonesia....
.