Rabu, 28 Oktober 2009

International Curriculum The “It” Thing

International Curriculum The “It” Thing

One day, I went to this “Arisan”, an Indonesian custom where people, especially ladies, stay in touch and show what they have bought, talk about where to buy it, the latest discounts. This gathering is full of upper- middle class women with their children. Then I asked this woman who was wearing Louis Vuitton bag and has three children, “What school

do they go to?” She answered with no doubt and a bit high tone, ”My children go to a private school with an international curriculum. They study in English and they could read fast after the first year in the kindergarten”. After hearing what she said, I remember when I was 4 years old I couldn’t even say a word in English. But I feel I am doing just fine by now. What is with this international curriculum?
Since there is globalization, where there is a great movement of people, goods, capital and ideas due to increased economic integration, education is also became a trade comodity of the global market, including in Indonesia. This is a result of being one of the countries that signed the WTO formation and General Agreement on Trade in services (GATS). Besides trade commodity, education is considered as the most important matter for the progress of a country. On the basis of improved developing country and as a trade commodity, a school with an international curriculum is becoming very popular in Indonesia. Private schools may either use international curriculum to increase education quality or being a component to sell the school with the expensive price. With a litle help of promotion in the media about how good schools adopt international curriculum, it becomes as popular as fashion trends in mother’s discussions. One of the most important yet interesting chit chat among mothers is their children's education. International curriculum adopted in their children's school has become a new form of pride, or something they can brag about.
Although these international based schools supposed to give better education for their students (as they “promised”), it's not commonly well adapted in the local cultures. Thus, it weakened the student’s understandings of their local surroundings. One child even could speak better in English than in Bahasa Indonesia. Yet, this international curriculum is the “it thing”, or the current trend in Indonesia. As a country with a “me too” culture, mothers choose international curriculum based schools just for the sake of keeping up with the trend. Having said their children being in a school with an international curriculum is like wearing a Prada shoes and Cartier jewelry at an Arisan. It is a kind of luxury in this society. So maybe, two years from now, you can find schools advertisement in a fashion magazine like Elle. (ET)


International Curriculum The “It” Thing

Efrata Tampubolon

Aktivis Pendidikan

sumber: psikopend.com

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