Upper schooling in Bali?

[Petenjo]

Well, as this is an expat forum, a quick question to those in the know there.

My family has been doing the expat thing for the last 12 years, including time in Indonesia, visit there often and recently acquired land with the intention of building and spending considerably more time there - and avoid that nasty 'tax' thingy in the process.

However, on a flight out of the states recently, a chappie who works in a diplomatic position in Bali was telling me that the standard of education for upper school children (12-17 years) is pretty average and he is boarding his children in his home country.

This puts a bit of a dent in my plans, my kids have always attended International schools (US or UK curriculum) and they have generally been top notch - any comments on Bali's? We were initially looking at the Australian International School in Canggu

 

[Roy]

However, on a flight out of the states recently, a chappie who works in a diplomatic position in Bali was telling me that the standard of education for upper school children (12-17 years) is pretty average and he is boarding his children in his home country.

"A diplomatic position in Bali?" That's most interesting, as there are no diiplomatic positions in Bali, by any world government.

There are consulate offices, and you might be surprised that some countries's consulate offiices are the restaurant they run, or home they live in!

Senior high schools, (both public and private), here are pretty good, and there is an accredited college here in Bali, Udayana University.

I'd say your "chappie" may have been in need of a "nappie"... on his mouth!

 

[ColinF]

Roy, I understand the consular offices that were previously located in commercial property; eg, restaurants etc, have been relocated to more secure sites for the protection of both commercial and consular customers and staff as part of the necessary security enhancements.
More to the point, I would have thought that a country's embassy-designated Consul, Consular Office and staff would have been considered "diplomatic positions" anyway, not so? :?
I agree I've heard pretty good reports on the quality of private schools here, particularly the various 'international' schools. Don't know about public schools and local schools, all I do know is that both my nephew and niece by marriage refused the offer of relocating here from Jawa with us and attending local schools, due to the known poor standards at those schools!
Colin.

 

[Roy]

Hi Colin,

You points are well taken. The details of where, and the status of consular agents varies by country.

For the most part, and I can't think of any exceptions, consular officials here in Bali work for their consulate general as agents. As an example, the US embassy is located in Jakarta, while the consulate general's offices are in Surabaya. The consulate agent for the US in Bali...Mr. Joshua Fitch, is employed by the consulate general's office as a representative. He has no diplomatic satus.

This fine point is not to diminish the role that consulate agents play here on Bali. They act as a vital conduit for their respective citizens to their country of origin. They can, and do act as a vital "first link" in matters such as a lost or stolen passport, severe illness or injury requiring hospitalization, criminal charges against their citizens, registration and citizenship matters of children born from mixed marriages, etc.

The consular agents that serve the interests of their citizens here in Bali play a very vital role, and their work is all too often not appreciated. While officially they have no diplomatic status, there is no doubt that unofficially, they represent their respective countries in a most diplomatic manner, as do all expats.

 

[ColinF]

Well put, Roy.
And as an addendum, I must say that, in those initial horrific days following the first cowardly Bali bomb atrocity they all, without exception, stepped up and did their part and more, to assist and comfort their own nationals involved and indeed, any others who asked. Priceless is the word which comes to mind when describing their value at that terrible time!
Colin

 

[Jimbo]

I was an honory consul in Warri, Nigeria many years ago. This position is not official and is not paid but is given to a responsible member of the community who acts as first port of call where no other exists.

In 1988 when I was getting My wifes residents visa the Big Chief (Ambassador) at the British Embassy called me in for a chat on the state of play in Indonesia as seen from my perspective. Even gave me a cup of tea and a biscuit

 

[ColinF]

Tea and biscuits with the Ambassador Jimbo? My God....the ultimate honor!! 8)
That reminds me of when I was in the Royal Air Force, far too many years ago, stationed at a place called El Adem, about 20 miles (32K) out in the desert from Tobruk, Libya. Every Sunday afternoon the station CO and the catering officer would come around after lunch and chat with us...all the time encouraging us to drink more tea from the stainless urns on a table, and help ourselves to as many biscuits as we wanted. We did notice that the "Sunday tea" had a somewhat strange taste :? and the biscuits were 'hard-tack' or ship's biscuits, packed in plain white packets of 6, clearly stamped 1944, with a 'broad arrow' and were hard as rocks! Sure soaked up a lot of tea though. :lol:
Colin

 

[pooochie]

Hi Colin

It is far better not to know where one is, and to realize one does not know, than to be certain one is where one is not!

Yes totally agree I believe “there are those that know and those that don’t know, but as well as these there are those that don’t know they know and those that know they don’t know they know”. :? :lol:

 

[pooochie]

Tea and biscuits with the Ambassador Jimbo? My God....the ultimate honor!!

I was in the Royal Air Force….stationed at a place called El Adem, about 20 miles (32K) out in the desert from Tobruk, Libya

encouraging us to drink more tea from the stainless urns on a table, and help ourselves to as many biscuits as we wanted. We did notice that the "Sunday tea" had a somewhat strange taste

This forum is getting exciting…with the addition of Colin. Colin you may be in Oom Roy’s X list but you are on my “cup of tea” list.

If my memory serves me correctly Bapak Jimbo was in Libya as well.

Messrs Colin and Jimbo…if you like tea and biscuits.. Please join us in Warung Kucing. I am sure by now you mastered the Indonesian language. Lovely Tea and scones with clotted cream just like Betsy in Harrogate: I promise. Lovely Balinese food from Kadek and Bli Gede and Dyah too. I would be surprised if our Warung Kucing will not get a Michelin star rating soon..Oom Roy too I know you can speak Indonesian. I promise I have a Cuban Cigar for you there, half smoked by Castro himself. There is the saying “women don’t know cigars”, bet Cher does. Don’t worry Colin there will be a ‘no smoking section’ in a sealed tight and ventilated right section of the warung. May only be a big bag pumped with O2 to begin with, on a tight budget.

Have only two questions to Bapak-bapak Jimbo and Colin (you did say you will talk to me on anything except diapers)? I am recently starting to have interest in Military history and memorabilia (Bosleys).

First question
I love T.E Lawrence. I found him fascinating I just want to see from Brits point of you whether he was in it for the British or the Arabs? I am planning to see his exhibition at the Imperial War Museum so it would be useful to have more information.

Second question:
Military badges. How do you tell if they are real or fake (that is if you know the answer). Many thanks.


Getting back to subject of “upper education”:

my kids have always attended International schools (US or UK curriculum) and they have generally been top notch

Just as a matter of interest where would you send your kids for University? US, UK, Australia etc. I do want to know the answer as my husband thinks British education is the best, but I think American Universities have more funds “corporate university”?

Best wishes
Ni Luh

 

[Petenjo]

Poochie,

Ahhh, someone actually returned to the question at hand....

We have family and keep property in Perth so thats where the kids would most probably go for a University education. Hence the interest in the Australian International school.

We will be down again in a month or so and will check it out then 1st hand.

Pete

 

[Roy]

Colin you may be in Oom Roy’s X list but you are on my “cup of tea” list.

On my "X" list? Absolutely not!

 

[Jimbo]

El Adem. Colin I was there!!! In 1969. Before Gaddafi when Idris was King.

Wow brings lots of memories. We were doing military exercises at that time and this was the RAF Base if memory serves me correctly.

I remember have a bun fight in the mess then and doing the dance of the Flaming Ar*********. I swore to desert if I had to go back. Gaddafi took over and I never did

Poochie Darling nice to see you back and in full flow.

Lawrence is a hero of mine an extrordinary man. I was in Yanbu on the coast of the Red sea where he started his journey from. He was a true blue Brit but also appreciated the Arab cause and people but his fight was for Britain.

I would be suprised if there are many fake Army cap badges as the value is not that high due ti their abundance...unless of course they are not 1st or 2nd world war or modern and if that is the case they will not be cap badges but shako badges

 

[ColinF]

Well, well, Jimbo. Now this really is a coincidence worthy of note! I was posted there as a very junior aircraft engine fitter, aged 18 and as green as grass, as they say, in 1958. I had talked my best buddy into volunteering for overseas and on 3rd January 1958, having seen in the New Year at the transit section, RAF Castel Benito - later, and currently, known as Tripoli, we stepped out of an old Hastings transport and looked around at just what we had got ourselves into!! :shock: :? 3 years later we were 'old hands', had a bit more rank and a whole lot more experience, and flew home to England non-stop in about 4 hours on a Comet. How the world had changed!
Yes Jimbo, it was the RAF base - and is still an airforce base, but Libyan airforce now and is stocked with (old) MIG's etc. I never got to go back there (terima kasih, Tuhan!!) although long after leaving the RAF I did frequently drop into Benghazi to pick up fuel before our long and lonely flights across the Sahara to Nairobi, Kenya.
Jimbo, we must get together sometime instead of boring the forum members with our reminiscences.
Colin.

 

[ColinF]

Ni Luh.....that quotation I use as my signature is attributed to a log-book entry by a (lowly) lieutenant of the Royal Navy who was navigation officer of a frigate in the early 1800's, during a particularly bad rounding of Cape Horn. These were the days when ships SAILED - no engines - and depended on sextant sightings of sun, moon or stars to compute their position. If the weather was really bad, as was/is the norm at that latitude, they may not get a useable sight of any heavenly body for days on end and would therefor have only a very vague idea of where they were. 2 weeks to complete the rounding of the Horn was not at all unheard of in winter, a distance of 50 miles or so, depending how far south one went. A life so hard as to be unthinkable these days. :cry: :shock: Yet another little snippet of useless information! Take note of these, I'll be asking questions later :!: :lol:

Colin.

 

[Petenjo]

Well, this is all absolutely spiffing....what it all has to do with the original query in the 'Subject' heading is a little beyond me... :roll:

Anyway, another quick question, and I promise it didnt come from a 'diplomat', consular representative, politician or any figure who may or may not have ever been in the general vicinity of a foreign embassy or consulate in Bali (coz apparently there arent any).......

Is a KITAS required for the student (or parent/guardian) to attend schools in Bali or is it possible to use tourist visa and exit the country every couple of months??

 

[drbruce]

It depends on what type of school you are talking about. If your children attend a local school, they may not be required to show any documentation. (My children weren't when they attended school in Bali.) If they attend an international school, they will almost certainly be required to provide a kitas. During the two years that I was a principal in Papua, it was absolutely required of parents that they have a kitas for their children. That was 7 years ago so things may have changed. If you are looking at an international school, they easiest way to find out is to contact them directly.

 

[Sanurian]

For the great bulk of people in Indonesia, "education" is a complete joke. For the lucky few, it's "passable" (by some Western standards). Sad but true.

Go on, dissenters - ask somebody what is the biggest mountain in Indonesia? (Good luck). Who is the guy on the new Rp20,000 bill and why is he "famous"? What did he do? Why shouldn't you stick your finger in a powerpoint when it's raining? Yep - I'm "joking" (?).

Many modern-day Balinese/Indonesians can't give you the answers to pretty simple questions about anything. A lot of them are simply plugged in to sex-drugs-rock'n'roll/dangut/and handphones. "Pulsars" rule. And misteri programmes on televison (= many schoolgirls around Indonesia losing the plot, or objecting to excessive control in the only acceptable way open to them).

It's truly a miracle that some Indonesians manage to escape and do their PhD's in other countries - and many don't return. Can't blame them.

8)

 

[Thorsten]

Glad you are back Sanurian and also glad you didn't changed your style 8)

best regards
Thorsten

PS: This generation of idiots is also created here in Europe now :shock:

 

[Tommy]

What has been left out in the discussion is the professions or educations which involves craft and art. I'm primarily thinking of STSI (Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia) in Denpasar which i consider to be the core of top-education in the World for music and music-related arts. Top-education doesn't exclude arts my friend and STSI provide world-class education with world-class students.

For education in other sectors i see alot of progress and i've met many extremely diligent and talented individuals. I don't speak statistics or general conceptions for the whole of indonesia coz it usually gives a less optimistic and quite frankly inaccurate view of the current progress.

 

[Roy]

Tommy, I agree with you wholeheartedly. STSI, or the new name, ISI, Institute Seni Indonesia (same university level school), is world class and virtually every ethnomusicologist is well aware of the fine talent and brilliance that has emerged from there over the years.

Sanurian mentions education by “western standards.” Heads up...this ain’t the West, so who cares about western standards necessarily? I sure don’t in raising our three boys! I don’t see my son’s future being declared as “go West young man!”

Sanurian, I like you, and we know each other personally, but get a grip!

Haven’t you ever wondered why “your Bali” as you describe it, is so completely different from so many others? You consistently paint such a dismal picture....robbed many times, extorted numerous times, and other nasty stories. Then again, maybe you have taken up the role of the devil's advocate. That's fine.

But truly, if Bali was so dismal in your mind, then why are you still here? Indonesia, Bali, hell all of it is far from perfect, but come on! A little balance, especially in your written perceptions of Bali wouldn’t hurt, would it?