Penabur International School

Located within the extensive BPK PENABUR network, the school serves 800+ students with facilities including science laboratories, sports halls, and music rooms. The institution follows IGCSE and A-Level pathways while maintaining Christian educational values through an adapted interreligious model that incorporates teachings from multiple faiths including Islam, Buddhism, and Catholicism. This approach emerged from Indonesia's diverse student demographics and represents an unusual adaptation within the country's typically mono-religious educational framework.

The school operates under leadership including Peter Jacobs as head of Strategic Development, who brings extensive academic credentials from institutions in Indonesia, Japan, and Canada. Board members include entrepreneurs and religious education specialists, reflecting the institution's dual focus on academic excellence and faith-based character development. Despite being part of one of Indonesia's most established educational networks with nearly seven decades of operation, Penabur International School receives limited discussion in online international school forums compared to Jakarta's prominent expatriate-focused institutions.

Strengths

• Part of Indonesia's largest Christian education network with 79 schools and extensive experience
• Offers established British qualifications through IGCSE and A-Level programmes
• Features interreligious education model accommodating diverse student backgrounds
• Well-equipped facilities including science labs, sports facilities, and performing arts spaces
• Strong local roots with nearly 70 years of educational heritage in Indonesia
• Serves substantial student body of 800+ indicating established operations

Considerations

• Limited visibility in international school parent forums and teacher discussions
• Primarily serves local Indonesian families rather than expatriate communities
• May have different cultural expectations compared to Western-oriented international schools
• Religious education component mandatory as part of Indonesian national curriculum requirements
• Less information available about university placement outcomes and academic results
• Campus locations and specific programme details require direct school contact for verification

• A serious, well-documented bullying case at the Kelapa Gading campus is the dominant signal. Indonesian outlets reported parents of around a dozen students alleging physical and psychological abuse over months in 2025, with criminal complaints filed.
• Parents say homeroom teachers and school leadership were slow to act. Reports describe verbal warnings only, despite escalation to the foundation chair and Jakarta's education department.
• An appeal in late December 2025 returned the alleged perpetrator to family or transfer; multiple victim parents said they were not satisfied with the process.
• Outside the bullying case, one Reddit user said Penabur is one of the top school groups in Indonesia but that quality differs between campuses.
• Academic feedback from a separate Reddit thread says STEM is stronger than open-ended subjects like English and social studies, and that A-level preparation is uneven.
• Teaching positions are filled domestically; an English teacher applicant noted no housing provision in their offer.