Consideration of Adapting “Community College” in Indonesia

Education in Indonesia started in Portugal with the intention of trading and trying to spread Catholicism. Even when Dutch arrived, they come to Indonesia with the same intention but this time they try to spread Protestant values to the locals. Education in Indonesia finally using the Dutch type of Education. However, along with the developing era Education in Indonesia is Stagnant compare to other countries. and, Also the quality of Indonesian Education relatively behind from other countries if measured by the quality of the student. Science and Math become one of the weakest points for Indonesian Students in the Basic Education Level. According to the study of International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2011, Indonesia got a score of 406 for science and 386 for mathematics ( average Globally for both fields in 500 ). This score is far below Malaysia and Thailand, and even far more below Singapore that placed first for Science and second for Mathematics. This study is held to test the Student Ability from 8th Grade from 63 participating countries.

In the United States, there’s one type of Education that probably be adapted by Indonesia that is Community College with the 2 years of “CC” and 2 years of Common University.

Based on moneycrashers.com, these are the benefits of entering a Community College :

1. Cheaper Tuition and Fee :

For Example, every student and the new student has to take English 101, Science class like biology or chemistry, history or U.S. Civic Education, and University level of Mathematic class. In a typical university, you will pay 6 million rupiahs to 9 million rupiahs or more per credit for these basic classes, which means each class will cost you 18 million rupiahs to 27 million rupiahs. Community College depends on the cost of 700 thousand to 4 million rupiahs per hour, depending on where you go and the status of your residence. So, if your local community college charges 2 million rupiahs per credit hour, each class will cost 6 million rupiahs, which means you save up to 25 million rupiahs per class. And it adds up fast.

note: Average cost of University S1 graduates in America: $ 33,450, or around Rp. 473,317,500.00

2. Opportunity to Increase Grades

To get a scholarship, it can usually be reached through the Value track. However, usually, the average high school student’s score is below the requirements to be able to join the Scholarship Program organized by the University. With the Community College, students can improve their Transcript Values so that they can submit to the Scholarship Program.

3. The benefits of going to College without a High School Diploma

Some Community Colleges allow students to register with GED. Designed to be a secondary school equivalency test, GED proves that students who graduate have an education comparable to current senior graduation classes. Some students deliberately go through their last year of high school so they can get into Community College faster by taking the GED test.

And overall this is a level that the government should pay attention to because it is very easy and different from the existing formal education system in Indonesia.