Gov to Reorganize International School Regulation

Jakarta (Antara) - The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Education and Culture, will reorganize the regulation for international schools in the light of a recent molestation case in the Jakarta International School (JIS). "We will reorganize the regulation for 111 international schools in Indonesia," stated Director General of Early Childhood Education Lidya Freyani Hawadi during a press conference at the Education and Culture Ministry's Office in Jakarta, on Wednesday. Lidya reported that investigation into the molestation of a kindergartener from JIS had revealed the fact that the school did not have a license. "The ministry can shut down the kindergarten, if they (JIS) don't submit the license immediately," she pointed out. According to Lidya, the ministry gave a week's time to JIS to submit the license for running a kindergarten. Moreover, based on the Government Regulation Number 17 Year 2010, the use of international label is no longer allowed. Meanwhile, the JIS only had a license for elementary school, and was not a diplomatic school, which is built by the country's embassy to facilitate the education of diplomatic corps' children. "Hence, we will audit this school (JIS) thoroughly," Lidya asserted. (*)