Childcare in Indonesia – Are you planning to move to Indonesia with your children? If so, then you need to put some attention to childcare in Indonesia so your children can adapt to their new home and lifestyle easily.
One of the problems for expats living with children is child care such as nanny or education. Many of you may be confused about the nanny system in Indonesia or at what age your child can get an education in Indonesia. Let us ease your worries by providing some of the most basic information about it.
Hiring a babysitter in Indonesia
Hiring a private babysitter is the number one option for you. The plus side of having baby sitter in Indonesia is aside from taking care of your children, they often help with house chores.
Most of the babysitter in Indonesia is young girls (around 15 years onwards) from a village outside of Jakarta. These girls are usually familiar with some house chores and taking care of children. You can put an extra fee for them helping you to do some another house core.
It’s highly recommended to contact nanny agencies instead of relying on word of mouth. It is safer to get a babysitter from agencies since they screen the candidate first. Besides, these agencies often offer “expat babysitters” who have spent years working with expat families and are fluent in several languages, such as English and Mandarin. But take a note that their fee might be higher with a better experience. To meet your expectation, an interview before hiring is advisable.
Daycare and Education in Indonesia
Daycare and pre-school are often merged into one childcare in Indonesia. It offers a good number of different activities such as music, arts, crafts, sports, and more. Not only they help you take care of your children during the day, but also teach valuable skills to your children.
In major cities such as Jakarta, most parents and expats will put their children in daycare. It’s a common thing and you better make a list of options due to your needs, contact the preschools, and don’t be afraid to go into details. Their curriculum, language of instruction, facilities, fees, as well as the experience of the educators are the most important thing you need to know first. You can check this list of daycares to help you.
Aside from the daycare program, you need to know that Indonesian education is comprised of three main levels: elementary school, junior high school, and high school. Education is compulsory for all children aged 6 or 7 years and above. Elementary school lasts for 6 years and 3 years for each junior high and high school level. Usually, the school week runs Monday to Friday and school hours normally start from 6.30 am.
You can choose any public national school, private school, or international school. Most expats choose to enroll their children in international schools. The tuition fee may expensive than public national schools or private schools, but it’s a common thing since they impose foreign curricula and are internationally accredited. Most importantly, the learning process in international schools is often conducted in English, making it easier for expat children to adapt to their learning environment.
If you need more information about lists of International schools just check our article; List of International Schools in Jakarta and Bali!
