BALI, January 9 - RAPSI, Mikhail Tsyganov. The Indonesian Constitutional Court has found that the existence of privileged international schools in the country is repugnant to the constitution, the Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday.

The court has demanded that all Indonesian schools adhere to the unified national standard.

Therefore, the lawsuit filed by the teachers' trade union and a number of NGOs was upheld.

Constitutional Court Chairman Mohammad Mahfud said that the existence of these schools contradicts the principles of education for all which are stipulated in the constitution, thus creating a social gap between school children.

In 2007, the Indonesian Education Ministry initiated the adoption of a law regulating the educational system.

The constitution's 50th article requires that each of Indonesia's 350 districts must have at least one RSBI school (International Standard Schools) where students will be taught in English.

There are already 1,300 of these schools in the country. They also have the right to charge higher fees and render a number of services which ordinary educational institutions do not.

The increase in the number of these schools sparked criticism from many parents, teachers and education specialists, who believe that they constitute a form of discrimination against poorer children.

The court also found that teaching in English distracts many school children from learning Indonesian.