We are so grateful to receive the news that our school, Sekolah Cita Buana, was presented with the Recognition Award from the International Curriculum Association (ICA). It was an accomplishment for the whole school community: the academic team, parents, students, staff, and the school management team who took part from day one when we decided to have the implemented International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC) reviewed by the ICA through its recognition process.
Reviewing the curriculum implementation that has been the heart of the school’s learning process for more than five years and the commitment to provide quality education for the community were two of the management’s genuine intentions to have the ICA recognition process. Those goals were crucial, especially since the school had just experienced a significant impact from the pandemic that struck the country hard. The uncertainty and chaotic situations made the school often change its learning policy. Internally, our school also lost several faculty members; five people died of COVID-19, some were in isolation, and many needed logistic supplies. The anxiety rose when many schools in the region closed down because of some unfortunate conditions.
When many schools in Jakarta were at such a loss, having IEYC as our learning guidance was more than a blessing to us in that time full of challenges. The IEYC Learning Foundations and Coverage align with our school’s unique educational service and culture, with its inclusivity, where children of different abilities and needs are valued. The Personal Learning Dimensions were indeed a lifesaver. Children’s resilience and adaptability were put into solid practice from 2020 to 2023. The teachers conducted different scenarios of learning and explorations, ensuring the learning provided meaningful experiences for the children online or blended and onsite with some restrictions. The definition of learning had naturally transformed into physical and mental well-being for all.
Sekolah Cita Buana in Jakarta is a joint-cooperative school that also implements the National Curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka), not merely to fulfill the government regulation but also since its establishment in 1995, the spirit of nationalism is explicitly stated in the school’s vision, mission, and educational goals. The International Goals of the IEYC equip the children in our school to develop their curious mind and sense of curiosity about the world and its people. Children are also allowed to explore global perspectives, and when ready, they can take action and make a difference. We believe that this combination is what made our school keep its existence.
Some consolidations are needed to recover the learning and patch the development gaps among the children. The ICA Recognition Process has helped to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum implementation in our school. We felt guided and encouraged to continue confirming the understanding of the curriculum implementation and improving the learning for our young learners. The mentoring sessions provided clarity about the required evidence. As our school also met the standard of Indonesia’s MoE, we almost did not find major difficulties in the journey of the ICA Recognition Process. The required documents did support the requirements set by ICA. The only challenge was our internal time management, and we appreciate the patience and commitment of the mentor and accessor from the ICA, which kept us going to achieve our goal.
With the ICA Recognition Award we received, we are more confident in the continued improvement and curriculum implementation. Also, with the quality assurance by the ICA, Sekolah Cita Buana can provide the most valid document required by the government for national accreditation and school permits. But, again, above all, providing quality education that gives true impact to the learners and an enhanced mindset to the school community are the main intentions of the journey we took with ICA.
Recognition and Accreditation
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