Sekolah Pelita Harapan

A Mission Rooted in Faith and Transformation

Sekolah Pelita Harapan (SPH) was founded in 1993 with a singular and ambitious purpose: to transform Indonesian society through education grounded in Christian faith. Its mission — to proclaim Christ's preeminence and participate in His redemptive work through holistic education — is not merely a statement on a wall but the animating principle behind every curriculum choice, hiring decision, and student interaction across its five campuses.

SPH's educational philosophy rests on the conviction that education is more than academic achievement. The school explicitly states it is "about shaping hearts, minds, and character for a higher purpose." This means that alongside preparing students for IB Diplomas and Cambridge IGCSE examinations, the school equally measures its success by the spiritual and moral formation of its students.

The Integration of Faith and Curriculum

Unlike schools that treat faith as an extracurricular or optional add-on, SPH integrates Christian values directly into subject matter across all disciplines. Bible studies and chapel are part of the regular timetable, and teachers — roughly 52% of whom are expatriates — are recruited with a commitment to both academic excellence and personal Christian faith.

The vision of "blessing the nation through transformational education — rooted in true knowledge, faith in Christ, and Godly character" shapes how subjects are taught. Science is taught in the context of stewardship of creation; literature and humanities explore questions of meaning and justice; and social studies is contextualised within a framework of servant leadership and community impact.

Holistic Development: Academics + Faith + Character

SPH's three-pillar framework — Academics, Faith, and Character — means students are assessed not only on test scores but on their growth as whole persons. The school promotes leadership through student councils, outreach programmes, and global competitions such as the Harvard Model UN (HMUN) and TEDx youth conferences, where SPH students regularly participate.

Counselling teams on each campus support emotional and social wellbeing, and a formal Child Safety Policy aligned with UNCRC Article 19 underscores the school's commitment to creating a safe environment. The result is a school culture where intellectual ambition and moral formation are seen as inseparable — producing graduates who, as the school aspires, "make a meaningful impact in the world."

Why Families Choose SPH

For families — both Indonesian and expatriate — who seek an internationally accredited education within a strong Christian community, SPH offers a rare combination: IB and Cambridge credentials, a multi-campus network across Greater Jakarta, and a faith community that actively shapes student identity and purpose. The school's 30-year track record, near-100% university placement rate, and continued growth across five campuses speak to the resonance of this integrated vision.

Origins in Lippo Village (1993)

Sekolah Pelita Harapan was established in 1993 by Johannes Oentoro and Dr. James T. Riady through the Yayasan Pendidikan Pelita Harapan (YPPH), a Christian education foundation. The founding campus in Lippo Village, Tangerang, was conceived as a school that would bring world-class international education to Indonesia — infused with Christian values and a mission to bless the nation.

From its earliest years, SPH differentiated itself by pursuing international accreditation and curricula at a time when few Indonesian schools offered such options. The Lippo Village campus became Indonesia's first IB World Continuum School, receiving authorisation for the full suite of IB programmes (PYP, MYP, and DP) in 1999. This made SPH a pioneer in Indonesian international education, a status it maintains today.

Expansion Across Greater Jakarta

As SPH's reputation grew, so did demand. The school expanded to multiple campuses to serve families across the Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta) area:

• Sentul City Campus (Bogor): Set in a wooded environment, this campus added a unique boarding facility — the Pelita Harapan House — for Grades 7–12, making it the only SPH campus with residential accommodation.
• Lippo Cikarang Campus (Bekasi): Serving the eastern industrial corridor of Greater Jakarta, this campus emphasises inclusion alongside Cambridge and IB curricula.
• Kemang Village Campus (South Jakarta): An urban campus serving the diplomatically and internationally rich Kemang district of South Jakarta.
• Pluit Village Campus (North Jakarta): A more recently developed campus, currently serving Early Childhood through Grade 10, with an emphasis on project-based learning.

30 Years of Milestones

By 2023, SPH collectively enrolled approximately 2,441 students and employed 313 teachers across its five campuses. The school has achieved full accreditation from the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), in addition to national accreditation (Sekolah Terakreditasi A) and IB World School status.

SPH's growth reflects both the expansion of Indonesia's middle class and expatriate community and the enduring appeal of its distinctive faith-integrated, internationally accredited education model. The Lippo Village campus celebrated 30+ years of operation in the mid-2020s, marking three decades of producing graduates who have gone on to leading universities and influential careers.

A Dual International Curriculum

SPH is one of very few schools in Indonesia — and indeed in Southeast Asia — to offer the full Cambridge and IB continuum side by side. Students progress through Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, and IGCSE (taken at Grade 10), before transitioning into the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) for Grades 11–12. The school is additionally authorised for the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), giving it coverage from Early Childhood through Grade 12.

This dual-pathway approach gives SPH students internationally recognised credentials at every stage of their schooling. The IGCSE results at Grade 10 serve as a strong preparation for the rigours of the IBDP, and the school reports a 100% graduation rate for its Grade 10 and Grade 12 cohorts — meaning all eligible students successfully earn their IGCSE certificates or IB Diplomas.

Small Classes, High Expectations

SPH maintains an average class size of approximately 22 students (maximum 24), enabling teachers to provide personalised attention and ensure no student falls behind. With a student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 8:1 — among the most favourable in Indonesian international schools — the academic environment is attentive and responsive.

About 52% of SPH's teaching faculty are expatriates, bringing international teaching experience and perspectives, while Indonesian teachers bring cultural grounding and local expertise. All teachers are required to align with the school's Christian mission.

University Outcomes

SPH's academic rigour translates into strong university outcomes. The school reports near-100% university acceptance over the past decade, with graduates consistently admitted to top universities in Indonesia (Universitas Indonesia, ITB), the United States (Ivy League institutions), the United Kingdom (including Oxbridge), Australia, Singapore (NUS, NTU), and across Asia-Pacific.

The school operates a dedicated university counselling service that guides students from Grade 9 onward through university selection, application preparation, and scholarship applications. The Lippo Village campus also features a Center of Excellence for Applied Science (established 2018), which provides research opportunities for Grades 10–12 students in partnership with Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH).

Faith-Integrated Learning

Critically, SPH's academic culture does not treat faith as separate from intellectual life. Bible integration, ethical reasoning, and a worldview shaped by Christian thought are woven into classroom discourse across subjects — from science to literature to social studies. This creates an academic culture where questions of meaning, ethics, and purpose are considered as intellectually serious as equations and essays.

A Diverse but Unified Community

Sekolah Pelita Harapan brings together students from over 35 nationalities across its five Greater Jakarta campuses, creating a genuinely international school community. The student body spans Indonesian families (both local and returning from abroad), long-term expatriate families from across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and diplomat families stationed in Jakarta. This diversity is a deliberate part of the school's design: SPH aims to prepare students for life in a globalised world by surrounding them daily with peers from different cultural backgrounds.

Despite this diversity, the school community is unified by its shared Christian values. While students of all faith backgrounds are welcome, families are asked to respect and engage with the school's Christian ethos, which shapes daily routines, assemblies, and community events.

Student Life and Extracurricular Depth

SPH's co-curricular programme is extensive. The Lippo Village campus alone offers 40+ activities, and across all campuses students can participate in:

• Sports: Football, basketball, badminton, swimming, volleyball, tennis, and athletics
• Arts: Choir, orchestra, band, and drama productions
• Academic Clubs: Model UN (including Harvard MUN participation), debate, robotics, mathematics, and science clubs
• Service and Leadership: Student Council, community outreach clubs, TEDx Youth

SPH also runs an annual Summer School and enrichment camps, providing additional academic and personal development opportunities during school holidays.

Safety and Wellbeing

All campuses are gated and equipped with CCTV. Each campus has dedicated counsellors and at least one school nurse. SPH maintains a formal Child Safety Policy aligned with UNCRC Article 19, underscoring its commitment to a safe, nurturing environment. Students are covered by mandatory school insurance as required by Indonesian law.

Parents as Partners

SPH actively involves parents in school life through regular communication, parent-teacher meetings, and community events. The school's Lippo Village and other campuses host open days and orientation programmes for prospective and incoming families, helping new students — many of whom are arriving from abroad — integrate smoothly into the community.

Pioneer Status in Indonesian International Education

SPH holds a historically significant distinction: it was the first school in Indonesia to offer the full IB Continuum — authorised for PYP, MYP, and DP since 1999. In an educational landscape where many international schools offer only one or two IB programmes, SPH's full continuum provides families with curriculum continuity from Early Childhood all the way to Grade 12 within a single school network.

This pioneer status is not merely historical — it means SPH has three decades of experience implementing IB education in the Indonesian context, with deep institutional expertise in both the philosophy and pedagogy of the IB framework.

Dual Cambridge–IB Pathway

SPH's ability to offer both Cambridge and IB pathways simultaneously is unusual and valuable. Students benefit from the structured, discipline-based assessment of Cambridge (IGCSE) alongside the inquiry-based, interdisciplinary approach of the IB. The IGCSE serves as a rigorous checkpoint at Grade 10, while the IB Diploma prepares students for the research and critical thinking demands of top universities worldwide.

Boarding at Sentul City

The Sentul City campus offers a unique boarding option within the SPH network. The Pelita Harapan House dormitory accommodates Grade 7–12 students in shared rooms (2 per room), with on-site facilities including a swimming pool, health centre, 24/7 security, and supervised study areas. This makes Sentul City an attractive option for families outside Greater Jakarta or those seeking a residential educational experience.

Center of Excellence for Applied Science

In 2018, SPH Lippo Village established a Center of Excellence for Applied Science, providing Grades 10–12 students with hands-on research opportunities in collaboration with Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH). This initiative reflects SPH's commitment to preparing students not just for university admission but for the kind of inquiry-driven thinking that leading universities value.

Multi-Campus Network

The five-campus structure — spanning Tangerang, Bogor, Bekasi, South Jakarta, and North Jakarta — gives SPH an unusual geographic breadth across Greater Jakarta. Families relocating within the metropolitan area can often transfer between campuses without changing schools, maintaining curriculum, community, and values continuity. Each campus has its own character (urban, residential, inclusion-focused, project-based) while sharing the same foundational mission and accreditations.