JIS Celebrates 7 Decades by Unveiling Transformed Pattimura Elementary Campus

Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) celebrated a historic milestone in its seven decade journey on September 23, 2025, by hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for its newly renovated campus in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

This event marks the conclusion of a two and a half year reconstruction project at the JIS Pattimura Elementary (PEL), designed to provide innovative learning spaces that integrate established educational benchmarks with cutting edge approaches in global education. The PEL international community includes children from Early Years through Grade 5, spanning ages 3 to 11.

“This is a proud day for the entire JIS family! Today, we inaugurate a beautifully renovated campus, one that reflects the history we uphold and the bright future ahead of us,” revealed Maya Nelson, Head of School JIS.

“For 72 years, Pattimura Elementary has been a place of community and connection, forming the foundation of lifelong learning for generations of JIS students. Today, PEL enters a new phase in its long story at the forefront of elementary education—truly a happy moment for our school!”

PEL holds a special position in JIS’s long legacy as Indonesia’s first international standard school and one of the earliest established in Southeast Asia. As JIS’s first official campus, PEL opened its doors in 1953 with the goal of delivering a holistic learning experience rooted in best practices from around the world. Over time, the campus evolved to meet global standards, educational research, and the diverse needs of its students.

According to Jill Bellamy, PEL Principal, this latest renovation reflects their “deep commitment to providing a warm, inspiring, and child centered learning environment.”

“These new spaces will enrich the daily experience of our students and support greater collaboration, creativity, and connection across the community. As we reopen PEL, we look forward to the future a time where children feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to thrive in every aspect of their learning journey,” she added.

On the same occasion, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed. , expressed his appreciation at the inauguration of the JIS Pattimura Elementary building on September 23, 2025.

“Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) signifies unity within diversity. It is essential for us to preserve identity, respect differences, and use them as a means to unite as global citizens. Jakarta Intercultural School is a concrete example of how this principle is alive in daily educational practice,” he stated.

“The Indonesian Government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto is committed to providing excellent schools with the best teachers and facilities. The newly renovated JIS Pattimura Elementary reflects this vision delivering quality, multicultural, and globally competitive education for future generations,” he added.

Key aspects of the renovation include a two story library with comfortable areas to foster a love for reading, literacy, and research; spacious classrooms to support transformative education, emphasizing shifts in perspective through critical reflection, experiential exploration, and student empowerment; an Experiential Learning Lab for practical learning; a full theater complete with music and dance rooms to encourage performing arts; and an expanded Maker Space for exploring creativity and the fundamentals of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Additional facilities also include more adequate specialized classrooms for the JIS Learning Center (JLC), designed to support children with moderate to severe learning needs, as well as a Sensory Room equipped with multi sensory devices to aid students’ emotional, social, and physical development.

Students, teachers, and staff have already begun utilizing these innovative spaces, but the ribbon cutting ceremony marked a moment for the entire JIS community to gather and celebrate this significant achievement.

“Pattimura Elementary is ready for its next chapter. Together, we can make it exceptional, a journey full of joyful learning and meaningful growth, rooted in excellence,” concluded Maya Nelson.