Is that true that Indonesian education system is "commercial"?

Question

Prior to my previous question... see "Which university offers the best electrical engineering undergraduate study in Indonesia?"

I asked a malaysian friend to translate some contents in www.itb.ac.id and www.ui.edu -some say that Malaysian and Indonesian language are similar-. And she said that both univ offer 2 types of entrance test: the first one is the national-wide test with no tuition fee; the 2nd is held in the campus, and it demands 2 grand bucks (2000US$) at minimum in univ of Indon. and 5 grand bucks (5000$) in Inst. Tech. Bandung. The higher you pay, the larger entrance opportunity U have.

She also added that some Indonesian senior high students who are failed in the national-wide test demonstrated & sued the Indonesian government in the court? Is that true? (I can't believe it)

Is that true?

My friend said that Inst. Tech. Bandung was once (1930s-1960s) the best in Pacific because it was established by The Netherlands and United Kingdoms, and a lot of Dutch/British lecturers taught there. Even some ministers of Malaysia and Singapore graduated from ITB as well as some former Indonesian presidents.

But now, so many highly-qualified lecturers from Univ of Indon. and Inst. Tech. Bandung had fled to Malaysian National Univ. and Nanyang Tech Univ. My Malaysian friend hold a B.Sc degree from National Univ of Singapore in Chemical Engineering, her professor graduated from ITB and then went to Stanford & MIT to further his study (Msc & PhD). Her professor was a Chinese descendant who suffered a lot of pressure while teaching in ITB.

She recommended that I should inform my work mate that Malaysian Universities are so much better with less cost than Indonesian univs.

I just want to be fair & just. No Offense, I am 100% neutral.

Answer 1

Yes, If you want the easier way, you had to pay 45 milion Rupiah to be enrolled in ITB back there in 2003 when I graduated highschool. But that doesn't mean acceptance guarantee, they still have to pass the equally hard entrance exam.

However, with that quality, I don't think we should complain about 45 milion rupiah. You can still go with the cheap way through SPMB (the national university entrance exam), and you don't need to be rich for that.

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I think every university everywhere in the world are now commercialized.

It started with globalization,

Globalization means the rise of flows and exchange of information, trade, and culture. Globalization has made the nation border more permeable and therefore international interference are becoming even more common. TNCs are outsourcing to get cheap labors in developing countries.With this, the western values and culture are influencing the local culture. Nation Culture become consumer culture. Universities were the one that promotes nation culture, but it is more market-driven. Viability of universities are measured by how many students graduating from it could get a job. Universities are now becoming multiversities as it serves those who have powers, which are the corporations. They eliminate subjects which are not popular among students or not useful in getting a job, and they leave the canon concepts of university. They had lost their philosophy.

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As a bottom line, you don't have to worry about whether Indonesian universities and schools are now becoming commericialized. It happens everywhere in the world. Blame the government who's eroting their fund to university, blame the globalization who's spreading consumerism. Just go with the flow to survive. ;)

Answer 2

That is true, education system in Indonesia allow some public-owned school to boost up their prices. The problem is there is no constitution rules from the government of Indonesia to forbid the high prices of the public school.

This makes teachers and school-owner in Indonesia easily corrupted and bribed. This also comes from the low wages of those theachers and lecturer.

As for the Nation-Wide Exam, it's complicated. The government of Indonesia wants to control the graduation of students from the junior high and senior high schools. But because of the Nation -Wide exam only test 3 main studies, us, the students felt that our efforts in learning all this years only decided by poorly coordinted national Exam. You don't want it don't you? This also made some teachers and students cheats and don't learn and earn what they should have.
This also neglected the facts that schools are the groups and facility that Educate it's pupil, and the fact that these schools are the ones which have a right to say that their studebts will pass or not

Answer 3

(In addition to what your m'sian friend told you), I believe Indonesian students have won much more gold, silver & bronze medals of The International Physics Olympiad - physics being the basic of electrical engineering your friend's looking for in your previous question. Sadly, CMIIW, m'sian students have not won as much as - or not yet won any - medals at The Int'l Physics Olympiad.

Commercial in the sense of high educational fees, my answer is yes. Compromising the cost with educational quality? I don't think even malaysia is immune to that...

You'd be the judge... :-p

Answer 4

Well, to be completely honest to you, I'm not interested in Indonesian education. but yes, Indonesian language and Malaysian language is similar. and I think education in Indonesia is not that expensive. well as for that case, the student sued the government because the government's fault.

Answer 5

Getting better 9/10

Answer 6

In a way, yes. I think now it's cheaper to just study in a private universities. And it's not so bad either.

Answer 7

Yes. If you are a foreigner, better study in your home country or go to Singapore

Answer 8

Yes. Bribe is a must. You want, go for 40 million rupiah.

Answer 9

Yes...

Bribing is a common things in Indonesia.
Education is all about business...

Answer 10

yes its true...education has becoming favorite business!!!