Jakarta · Curriculum & Regulatory
The choice between an Indonesian national curriculum school and an international (SPK) school is not a binary. It is a spectrum - and the middle ground is more populated than most parents realise.
Written by Mia Windsor, Managing Editor
Originally published: February 2026 | 8 min read
How the Indonesian National Curriculum Works
Indonesia's education system runs from SD (Sekolah Dasar - primary, ages 6-12) through SMP (Sekolah Menengah Pertama - junior secondary, ages 12-15) to SMA (Sekolah Menengah Atas - senior secondary, ages 15-18). Nine years of basic education (SD + SMP) are compulsory.
The curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek). It covers core subjects - Bahasa Indonesia, mathematics, science, social studies, religious education, Pancasila and civic education - plus specialist subjects in senior secondary. Teaching is in Bahasa Indonesia. English is taught as a foreign language, typically from primary level, but the depth and quality of English instruction varies enormously between schools.
The senior secondary exit qualification is the national exam framework. Students choose between streams: natural sciences (IPA), social sciences (IPS), or language. The qualification is recognised by Indonesian universities and is the standard pathway into the national university entrance system (SNBP/SNBT).
What Merdeka Belajar Changed
Until 2020, the Indonesian national curriculum was prescriptive. Schools taught the same content in the same sequence, assessed in the same way. The UN (Ujian Nasional - National Exam) dominated the senior secondary years, and teaching in many schools was oriented around exam preparation above all else.
In 2020, the Ministry launched Merdeka Belajar - "Freedom to Learn." The reforms have been substantial:
Flexibility in curriculum delivery. Schools can now design their own learning approaches within a broader framework of competency standards. The old subject-by-subject, week-by-week national syllabus has been replaced by learning outcomes that schools interpret with more autonomy.
Project-based learning. The Merdeka framework encourages inquiry and project work - approaches historically associated with international curricula like the IB PYP. Schools are expected to allocate time for cross-curricular projects (Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila - P5).
Abolition of the high-stakes national exam. The UN was scrapped in 2020 (initially because of COVID, then permanently). School-based assessment now carries more weight, which shifts the dynamic from centralised exam pressure to school-level accountability.
Greater school autonomy. Individual schools have more freedom in how they organise learning, assess students and allocate teaching time. In practice, this means the best Merdeka schools look significantly different from the worst - autonomy magnifies both quality and mediocrity.
The result: Indonesia's national curriculum today is more flexible, more inquiry-oriented and more aligned to international pedagogical trends than it was five years ago. The gap between what happens in a good national school and what happens in a good international school has narrowed.
The gap has not closed. But it is narrower than most expat families assume.
How SPK (International) Schools Work
SPK - Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama, or Collaborative Education Unit - is the Indonesian government's legal classification for schools offering a foreign curriculum. Every school in Jakarta that parents call "international" is either an SPK school or working toward SPK status. For a full explanation of the SPK framework, see SPK Schools in Jakarta Explained.
SPK schools deliver a foreign curriculum - British (English National Curriculum via Cambridge or Edexcel), IB, American, Australian - alongside mandatory Indonesian subjects: religious education, Bahasa Indonesia, Pancasila and civic education. Indonesian students at SPK schools must take these subjects. Foreign students take Indonesian language and cultural studies.
The key distinctions between SPK and national schools:
Language of instruction. SPK schools teach primarily in English (or another foreign language). National schools teach in Bahasa Indonesia with English as a subject.
Exit qualification. SPK students graduate with an international qualification - IGCSE, A Levels, IB Diploma, AP, or equivalent. National school students graduate with Indonesian qualifications.
Teacher qualifications. SPK schools recruit internationally. The best hire teachers qualified in the country whose curriculum they deliver - British-trained teachers at British schools, for example. National schools employ Indonesian-certified teachers (Sertifikasi Guru). Quality varies widely in both systems.
Fees. SPK schools charge $6,000-$31,000+ per year. National schools range from free (public) to $5,000-$10,000 (top private schools).
University pathway. SPK qualifications (IB, A Levels, AP) are designed for international university applications. The Indonesian national qualification feeds into the national university entrance system. Both can be used for both purposes - but each is optimised for its own pathway.
The National-Plus and Bilingual Middle Ground
Between the fully Indonesian national curriculum and the fully international SPK school sits a growing category: bilingual and "national-plus" schools.
These schools hold Indonesian national school accreditation (not SPK) but offer significant English instruction, often with international curriculum elements woven in. Under Merdeka, they have more room to do this than before.
Examples in Jakarta include schools like Sekolah Cita Buana (SCB), which delivers a bilingual Indonesian-English programme grounded in the national curriculum with IB-influenced pedagogy. Other bilingual schools blend the Merdeka framework with Cambridge Primary or IB PYP approaches at primary level, without holding SPK status.
The appeal of this middle ground:
Cost. Fees are typically $3,000-$10,000 - a fraction of SPK school costs.
Bilingual development. Children develop genuine fluency in both Bahasa Indonesia and English, rather than the English-dominant environment of most SPK schools.
Cultural grounding. Indonesian history, values and civic education are integrated fully, not as add-on requirements.
Flexibility. Under Merdeka, these schools can incorporate international teaching methods, English-language instruction and inquiry-based learning within the national framework.
The trade-off: the exit qualification is Indonesian, not international. A student graduating from a national-plus school with strong English and strong grades can apply to international universities, but they will be applying with a less familiar transcript than a student presenting IB or A Level results. University guidance and application support is typically weaker than at SPK schools.
For mixed Indonesian-expat families planning to stay in Indonesia long-term, the bilingual middle ground is worth serious consideration. For families who know they will relocate internationally within a few years, the portability of an SPK qualification matters more. See Best Bilingual Schools in Jakarta for a detailed look at this segment.
Five Questions to Decide Which Model Fits
The right choice depends on your family's circumstances, not on one system being superior. These questions cut through the debate:
1. Where will your child go to university?
If the answer is an Indonesian university, the national curriculum pathway is direct. If the answer is a UK, US, Australian or European university, an SPK qualification makes the application easier. If the answer is "we don't know yet," an SPK school keeps more doors open internationally - but a strong bilingual school with good university guidance can serve both pathways.
2. How long will you be in Indonesia?
Families on a three-year corporate posting need curriculum portability. A child in an IB or British curriculum school can transfer to the next country with minimal disruption. A child deep in the Indonesian national curriculum will face a harder transition. Long-term residents and mixed families have more flexibility - the Indonesian system is a viable long-term pathway, not a compromise.
3. What is your language priority?
SPK schools teach in English. Your child will become fluent in English but may not develop strong academic Bahasa Indonesia. National schools teach in Bahasa Indonesia. Your child will be fluent in Indonesian but English proficiency depends on the school's English programme quality. Bilingual schools aim for both - with varying degrees of success.
4. What can you afford?
This is not a peripheral question. SPK school fees in Jakarta range from $6,000 to $31,000+ per year. Top private national schools cost $3,000-$10,000. Public national schools are free. A family choosing between a mediocre SPK school at $12,000 and a strong bilingual private school at $7,000 should think carefully about which delivers more for the money.
5. Does your child have special educational needs?
SEN provision at SPK schools varies but is generally more developed than at national schools, particularly for English-speaking children. If your child needs learning support, speech therapy or EAL provision, the SPK sector is more likely to have the resources - though quality differs by school. See Best Jakarta International Schools for SEN & Learning Support for details.
Fee Comparison
| Category |
Fee Range (Annual, USD) |
Examples |
| Public national school |
Free (nominal fees only) |
State SD, SMP, SMA |
| Private national school |
$1,000-$5,000 |
Wide range across Jakarta |
| Private bilingual / national-plus |
$3,000-$10,000 |
Sekolah Cita Buana, Mentari |
| SPK - lower tier |
$6,000-$12,000 |
GMIS, smaller SPK schools |
| SPK - mid tier |
$12,000-$22,000 |
NAS, ACG, AIS, Binus Simprug |
| SPK - premium |
$24,000-$31,000+ |
JIS, BSJ, ISJ |
Fees are approximate annual ranges. SPK fees include capital levies where applicable. See International School Fees in Jakarta for detailed breakdowns.
The fee gap between the two systems is large. A family paying $25,000 for an SPK school is paying five to ten times what a family at a strong private national school pays. The SPK premium buys internationally qualified teachers, an internationally recognised qualification, English-medium instruction, broader co-curricular provision and - at the top end - facilities that national schools cannot match.
Whether that premium is worth it depends entirely on what your family needs. For a family that will be in Jakarta for two years and relocating to London, the premium is essential. For a mixed family planning to stay in Indonesia, with children who are bilingual and targeting an Indonesian university, it may not be.
University Pathways
From an SPK schoolStudents graduate with IB Diploma scores, A Level grades or AP results. These feed directly into international university applications. UK universities make offers in A Level grades or IB points. US universities evaluate transcripts alongside SAT/ACT scores and holistic factors. Australian universities use ATAR equivalences. SPK schools typically have dedicated university counsellors who manage the application process.
From a national schoolStudents enter the Indonesian university pathway through SNBP (academic achievement-based selection) or SNBT (test-based selection). The top Indonesian universities - UI, ITB, UGM - are strong institutions with good reputations regionally. International university application from a national school background is possible but requires more initiative: standardised test scores (SAT, IELTS/TOEFL), a well-presented transcript, and application guidance that the school may not provide.
From a bilingual schoolThe pathway depends on the qualification. If the school offers Cambridge IGCSEs or IB certificates alongside the national curriculum, international applications become easier. If the exit qualification is purely Indonesian, the student applies via the national pathway or assembles an international application independently.
The honest picture: the SPK pathway to international universities is more straightforward. The national pathway to Indonesian universities is more direct. Both can reach either destination - but each is optimised for its own system.
