What do you think is the Best International School in Bali?

CalifornianMovingToBali

Hi Everyone, We're moving to Bali from California. I have 3 kids under the age of 10 years old. Which international school in Bali is the very best? I'm hoping to send my kids to University in the United States once they graduate. What might be the pros and cons of the schools you've sent your kids to? Thank you!

spicyayam

Many people have the opinion that the market is overpriced. Of course if someone needs money quickly then you can get property for a good price. It's not easy to find this property unless you live here. Maybe also look into other areas in Indonesia which the government was earmarked for tourist development.

spicyayam

How long do you plan to spend in Bali? If just one year then maybe it is not a big consideration as to what school they go to. The Green School is popular of course, but doesn't suit everyone. If you are planning on staying long term then I guess you need to investigate which school is going to offer the curriculum/exams to enter a university in the United States.

sakumabali

International schools on Bali aren't cheap. Depends on the age up to 20-25.000 USD yearly per kid. A woman I knew paid 75.000 USD yearly for her 3 kids. As mentioned before I'm not a big fan of a system where kids are raised in the illusion of being superior human beings (with maids, gardeners, drivers and teachers who need to keep them happy as their parents pay for school's survival). So focus is on "entertainment" and not "education". Kids easily get into the maelstrom of being even more "superior" than other kids. Illegal Drugs (shabu or ya ba (methamphetamine) is used by at least every 2nd Indonesian professional driver) are common. Driving drunk on scooters too. Beside what the Indonesian restrictive drug policy is publicly daddy can usually bail them out of jail with his dollars (if the kids stay out of the news). it's an illusory world. I took out my kids out of Bali schools and brought them to Europe til they know how real life is... This is specially the case for (pre)adolescent kids. Kids under 10 til (let's say) 12-14 might have the time of their lives. After that it's getting difficult.

info.mary022

The best schools have a great cost but I think It doesn't matter to you if you are rich.

Markit

Get your kids a squeegee, bucket and sponge and teach them how to wash windows then at least they'll have a usable trade they can survive on in the states. If you depend upon a Balinese/Indonesia education to get your kids up to speed just check out how many cutting edge Indonesian Nobel prize owners there are. You obviously don't give a shit about your kids and clearly only see them as a hindrance in your journey of self-realization. So when they are picking your rest home don't be surprised when it looks like the gutter in South L.A. Other than that it's great here.

SamD

Markit wrote Get your kids a squeegee, bucket and sponge and teach them how to wash windows then at least they'll have a usable trade they can survive on in the states. If you depend upon a Balinese/Indonesia education to get your kids up to speed just check out how many cutting edge Indonesian Nobel prize owners there are. You obviously don't give a shit about your kids and clearly only see them as a hindrance in your journey of self-realization. So when they are picking your rest home don't be surprised when it looks like the gutter in South L.A. Other than that it's great here.

He's on form today

harryopal

If you are here for just a year or so you might check out if your education system offers correspondence education. If that were the cast you are then having your children using relevant course matter for the US. You might employ a local teacher to supervise their studies at a fraction of the cost of an international school. I did this in Malaysia some years ago and they returned to the Australian system without any loss. At least in Australia, the private school system tends to inculcate a sense of superiority even to the extent of developing a kind of upper class nasaly twang to make it patently clear how much better they are then the common riff raff. I don't know if the same "superiority" issues are in place in the private school systems here but unless money is no object you would certainly save a considerable amount.

SamD

harryopal wrote If you are here for just a year or so you might check out if your education system offers correspondence education. If that were the cast you are then having your children using relevant course matter for the US. You might employ a local teacher to supervise their studies at a fraction of the cost of an international school. I did this in Malaysia some years ago and they returned to the Australian system without any loss. At least in Australia, the private school system tends to inculcate a sense of superiority even to the extent of developing a kind of upper class nasaly twang to make it patently clear how much better they are then the common riff raff. I don't know if the same "superiority" issues are in place in the private school systems here but unless money is no object you would certainly save a considerable amount.

Off topic, but I have had experience of both the private Australian school system (my kids don't feel superior and definitely don't have a nasally twang) and the public (I call them Indoctrination Factories where the kids are taught what to think instead of how to think). Home schooling deprives the kids of a social network and is not something I would do myself. But it is an option I suppose. If my kids were young enough I would enrol them in a National Plus school where they could learn the local language and culture. I think I have the correct term for these schools.

RedPoint

Hi Guys, new to this forum. Im interested in this question too. Thinking of moving the fam to Bali and at this stage thinking might be best to live close to the school. I emailed AIS this morning and then seem to have vacancies available.

SamD

RedPoint wrote Hi Guys, new to this forum. Im interested in this question too. Thinking of moving the fam to Bali and at this stage thinking might be best to live close to the school. I emailed AIS this morning and then seem to have vacancies available.

If you have the cash, they will find a vacancy. If you do make the move then living as close as possible to the school is a good idea. Traffic can be horrendous.

RedPoint

SamD wrote If you have the cash, they will find a vacancy. If you do make the move then living as close as possible to the school is a good idea. Traffic can be horrendous.

Thanks for that. Yes from all accounts it seems like we need to find a place close to the proposed school.

CalifornianMovingToBali

update. Been living in canggu for 2 months and kids and I absolutely love it. Academics seem ok (not as good as the 9/10 california school they went to), but all that is balanced by all the extracurricular activities they do. It’s really incredible. We chose canggu community school and love it. The community is really welcoming and the teachers fantastic. Would highly recommend.

sakumabali

CalifornianMovingToBali wrote update. Been living in canggu for 2 months and kids and I absolutely love it. Academics seem ok (not as good as the 9/10 california school they went to), but all that is balanced by all the extracurricular activities they do. It’s really incredible. We chose canggu community school and love it. The community is really welcoming and the teachers fantastic. Would highly recommend.

watch out if your kids are older than 12-13. Lifestyle there n Canggu is driving w/o helmet while your are checking your phone of course (if not drunk at night). Explanation: "Just doing what the other kids did". Saw too many dead teenagers. Doing what others do is stupid :( We had this topic here since long time: In general I'd say it's ok if the parents are here for work and the kids are young or no teenagers. There are definitely better places for them then Bali streets and traffic

pantaiema

CalifornianMovingToBali wrote update. Been living in canggu for 2 months and kids and I absolutely love it. Academics seem ok (not as good as the 9/10 california school they went to), but all that is balanced by all the extracurricular activities they do. It’s really incredible. We chose canggu community school and love it. The community is really welcoming and the teachers fantastic. Would highly recommend.

Meh... Charging international fees in Indonesia? The tuition alone could support the live of 2-5 households in Indonesia. In Western countries, education at national schools is free, isn't it? If you are staying in Indonesia for a long-term, it would be better for kids to learn the local language and attend national schools. IMO this not only helps them become more tolerant and adaptable as they grow but also prevents them from staying in exclusive bubbles. The money saved on tuition could be donated to help disadvantaged children to go to school. Some international schools in Indonesia claim to be non-profits, but in reality, they are family-run businesses, with all the fees going into the family’s pockets often taking advantage of tax-exempt status. Many Indonesian pupils graduating from local or national schools, who pay only a fraction of these fees, are able to compete for admission into prestigious universities globally. When it comes to Math and Science performance, it is not uncommon good national schools in Asia could easily outperform international schools worldwide.

Chris A

pantaiema wrote I have provided my comment and opinion in post #16

Chris A

pantaiema wrote I have provided my comment and opinion in post #16

Yawn, okay.

pantaiema

Chris A wrote Yawn, okay.

What gives you the right to tell others how to spend their money?

Also forget to mention AFAIK you don't need to be granted a right, ask for permission to express your own opinion or criticize society.

Chris A

pantaiema wrote Also forget to mention AFAIK you don't need to be granted a right, ask for permission to express your own opinion or criticize society.

Again, yawn. Please feel free to express your opinion and criticize society as you wish. In the future end-game dystopian world you globalist nuts are wanting to force on everyone, free or unregulated speech will be a thing of the past and my guess is that you are just one of millions of brainwashed useful idiots that will wonder where it all went and why you have so bad. Have a nice day.

Markit

pantaiema wrote Many Indonesian pupils graduating from local or national schools, who pay only a fraction of these fees, are able to compete for admission into prestigious universities globally. When it comes to Math and Science performance, it is not uncommon good national schools in Asia could easily outperform international schools worldwide.

I'm gonna call foul on this unless you can come up with some convincing information to back this statement up. My experience with the products of such schools is basically what you'd expect from a school "system" (and I use the term loosely) where the teachers come to work or don't as and when they want but get paid, admittedly a pittance, a salary for life. The children are taught (I also use this term loosely) by rote and "understanding" is not a major component of the schooling process. I'm happy for the Indonesians with this as I see no chance or necessity for any of them to have to compete on an international scale with graduates of Harvard/Oxford/Yale/LSE/etc. I suspect most of them are happy to live on their own warm little islands in the sun without the Mercedes cars/gold jewelry/international jetting/top capitalistic life-styles/etc. Now should someone come here from the west with school aged children and want to school them for a time in local schools I always advise them to bring a squee-gee so the kids can at least learn how to clean windows for when they return to the west with their Indonesian "education " and I use this term also. loosely.