JAKARTA. Education First (EF) country director for Indonesia Lars Berg called for the government to relax regulations on native English speaker requirements, given the shortage of native English speaking teachers in the country.

"We hope that going forward, the regulations on international native English speakers will be less restrictive. Come December, we hope the regulation will be harmonized in line with the ASEAN Economic Community," Lars told reporters in South Jakarta, on Wednesday.

So far, he said, the government required English speaking teachers to have at least five years of work experience as a teacher and a bachelor’s degree in English, among others, to teach in Indonesia.

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Education Ministerial Regulation No. 66/2009 on the issuance of permits for foreign teachers to teach in formal and non-formal sectors was one of the regulations governing the matter, which also stipulated that foreign teachers needed to have bachelor degrees for elementary and secondary education and doctoral degrees for higher education, as well as teaching certificates and official proof of health.

The requirement, Berg said, was higher than other Asian countries such as China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.

He said it prompted the teachers to head to other countries over Indonesia, causing a shortage in native speakers.

The company needs five native speakers in each of its learning centers, which stands at 70 centers across Indonesia, but has only been able to hire 200 native speakers due to the strict requirements.

"But it doesn't mean it will sacrifice the quality," he concluded. (fsu/nvn)