Bali Expand International School for Below Poverty

Bali Expand International School for Below Poverty

The Bali administration will expand its program providing education for students from low-income families across the island. Following its success developing an international-standard school for the poor, SMA Bali Mandara senior high school, the administration is now planning to build an international-standard vocational high school (SMK).  Bali’s deputy governor, told journalists on Tuesday that the vocational high school would be built this year in the same area as SMA Bali Mandara high school. As with SMA Bali Mandara, the new SMK will also be open to poor students from across Bali eager to have a better future.
Located on a 10-hectare plot in Kubutambahan district, Buleleng regency in north Bali, SMA Bali Mandara was established in 2011 to accommodate high-achieving students across Bali, especially
those from low-income families. The students do not pay tuition fees.

it runs two curriculums are national and international, and was jointly administered by the provincial government and the Putera Sampoerna Foundation. As of last year, the boarding school is fully managed by the Bali administration. However, the foundation continues to give its support by providing student scholarships.

SMA Bali Mandara provides a mix of the national curriculum and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) system from Cambridge University. Students are also taught life skills, such as entrepreneurship and leadership. Scores of students who study at the school have won national and international awards, such as bronze medal at the 20th International Conference of Young Scientists last year. Many other achievements have also been received.

Many SMA Bali Mandara graduates are awarded scholarships to study at universities overseas, such as in Russia and the US.  SMK Bali Mandara would follow the success of SMA Bali Mandara. The vocational high school, was needed as many students from low-income families hoped to attend a vocational school so they could get jobs when they graduated. The construction of Bali Mandara vocational high school is expected to cost Rp 23.5 billion (US$1.93 million). The administration has allocated funds from its 2014 annual budget. Additional funding for facilities will be allocated from the revised budget.

The school will specialize in engineering and more students from poor families will gain achievements through this new school in the future.  Meanwhile, Putera Sampoerna Foundation handed over scholarships to 221 students currently studying at SMA Bali Mandara  and  The scholarships are worth Rp 1.7 billion in total to pay for tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Bali government hoped that many other institutions in the private sector would participate in developing education on the island by providing scholarships.
Released on Friday, February 07'2014
by Balistarisland.com