Indonesia

Finnish education in Jakarta

Jakarta has one of the most established Finnish early years scenes in Southeast Asia. Here is what a K-5 Finnish national curriculum school would add for primary-age children.

In brief

Indonesian primary school, Sekolah Dasar, typically starts around age 6 to 7 and runs for 6 years, under the national Merdeka Curriculum.
HEI Schools has operated in Jakarta since 2020 and has expanded to multiple campuses, including Senayan and Menteng, plus a newer Lillipods preschool brand.
HEI Schools Indonesia has already partnered with a local school, Sekolah Perkumpulan Mandiri, to offer continuity from preschool into primary levels.
Jakarta's international and private school market already includes British, IB and Singapore-curriculum schools alongside its Finnish-inspired early years options.

Jakarta already has a foothold in Finnish education

Jakarta is unusual among the cities on this list: it already has multiple Finnish-inspired early years campuses, run by HEI Schools, and has continued to expand, most recently through its Lillipods preschool brand and a master licence partnership announced in 2025. That gives Jakarta parents more familiarity with Finnish pedagogy than most other Southeast Asian capitals.

Where Kurikulum Merdeka and Finnish pedagogy overlap

Indonesia's own Merdeka Curriculum, rolled out nationally in recent years, already pushes toward more flexible, project-based learning and less rigid subject boundaries, ideas that sit close to Finland's own phenomenon-based learning. That overlap makes Jakarta a comparatively easy market for a Finnish-style approach to extend into, since the shift is one of degree rather than a wholesale change in philosophy.

What K-5 continuity would look like

HEI Schools Indonesia has already moved to solve the continuity question by partnering with a local school to carry children from preschool into primary. A separate K-5 Finnish national curriculum school would offer the same continuity but built around Finland's comprehensive school structure from the start, with one generalist class teacher per cohort through Classes 1 to 5 rather than a handover between two different institutions.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Finnish curriculum school in Jakarta already?

Jakarta has several Finnish-inspired early years campuses run by HEI Schools, and a partnership offering continuity into a local primary school. A dedicated K-5 Finnish national curriculum school is a separate, newer category.

How does Finnish pedagogy compare to Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum?

Both favour more flexible, project-based learning over rigid subject silos, though Finland's approach adds generalist class teachers and low-stakes formative assessment throughout primary school.

What age does Indonesian primary school start?

Sekolah Dasar typically starts around age 6 to 7, close to Finland's own starting age of 7, which makes the transition into a Finnish-style K-5 structure relatively straightforward.

Bring Finnish pedagogy to your school

OPPI affiliates a selective cohort of schools each year for its K-5 Finnish-pedagogy programme, backed by Education Finland. Tell us about your school and our team will reach out.

Backed by Education Finland. Over 20 schools have already affiliated, including DPS, Radcliffe and Sanctus. Places in each cohort are limited.

Apply to the affiliation cohort →