Medan Kota

Choosing a school for your child education is a big headache for many parents. For many of us in Medan, it’s sure not an easy tasks. Some six-seven years back, the private schools can hardly be found. Below are my views for the top selected schools currently in Medan.

Medan International School. This is the one and the only original International school in Medan. I have seen and visited the school some 6 years back when I was pregnant with my first child. At the time, I was very worried about the public school standards and was planning to put him in there. However, I was told that since the school is accepting only 20% Indonesian students, my boys will be on the waiting list. I was quite surprise that me being a Thai though my husband is a local is not allowed. To be considered as an International student, my boys need to hold the KITAS or KITAP permit. Honestly, though the school property is old and in need of renovation, I very much like the school surrounding and the security in place for the safety of the children, but the distance from town to school is quite a big problem.

I have since talked to some parents and was told that the major problem that my kids will face is that, these MIS students are constantly on the move, so my children will not have their so called group of friends. That to me is definitely not a healthy choice but again it’s not an avoidable situation for the parents.

Then came along the Piaget Academy and Singapore International School (SIS), though I am relatively happy with my boys being at the Singapore Piaget Academy at the moment, it’s worrying that the numbers of students are growing so fast and yet the school is not expanding fast enough. And somehow, my eldest son is picking up the Singapore slang like… wait lah.. how come like that.. why like that.. mama hor.. it’s funny and even more so as he was trying to say the word so that he can feel as part of the group coz as he said those phases, it does not sound natural…. The teachers in Piaget are a mixture – for mandarin class you get teachers from China so they are getting the proper mandarin and for English, so far we have the Philipino teachers which I am relatively happy about. As for assistance teachers, they are either the local Medanese or the Local Jakarta.

To consider putting your child at SIS, worst! The school have been promising parents with regards to the new school building for the past 3 years, none ever realized. The latest update is that, the school will move to Royal Sumatera next month!! I was there to check out, my thought is that, even with July 2009, its hard to even considered done.

Then you have the American System at Highscope Medan. Both of my boys are there for the early childhood program which in my opinion is the BEST in town. But as they need to enter the Kindergarten and the elementary level, I feel that all round facilities are inadequate. Teachers are local but are sent for training at Jakarta. The school has the home like feeling and very child friendly.

Another well known private school is Prime One at Jl. Katamso. I have yet to check that out. Nevertheless, the feedbacks for the school have been good so far. For now, I can only sit tight and hope that my husband will finally realize my dream of moving the boys out of Medan.

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