How Will You Forge Your Future?

      Sekolah Mutiara Harapan was established and managed by the Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper company (now a part of APRIL Group) to cater to the academic needs of their employees families during their employment in the company.

      Sekolah Mutiara Harapan commits its resources, talents and abilities in building a school community that fosters and promotes self-expression, decisiveness, discipline, teamwork, and excellence through the best practices of the International Baccalaureate (Primary) and Cambridge International Education (Secondary) international programs.  

     Sekolah Mutiara Harapan is a private, non-profit, K-!2 coeducational school providing a high quality education leading to Indonesian and international qualifications for the local and expatriate communities. The main languages of instruction are English and Bahasa Indonesian (for the 3 required government courses).

     Sekolah Mutiara Harapan is committed to educating all students to their full potential. They are encouraged to develop a joy of learning, independent thinking and freedom of expression while maintaining a sense of responsibility to others through respect and cooperation. Our greater purpose is to equip our students to lead constructive and fulfilling lives, to appreciate and respect a diverse range of cultures, and to have a sense of service and responsibility toward the world community.

Updated in March 2025

    In 1993, construction of Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper was started. Expatriates from Canada, Finland, India, Philippines, South Africa and Sweden were hired to put up the mill hand in hand with their Indonesian counterparts. Ms. Rashanta Devanesan was asked to start a school for expatriate children while Sekolah Global Andalan was set up for the Indonesian employees’ children.

     The expatriate school began as an informal home schooling group with Ruha Devanesan, Arjun Devanesan, Kyle Brewis and Jessica Brewis. Many other pupils joined soon after. By 1996, there were 75 students and it was then decided to formalize the school which then became Global Andalan International School.

       In 2003, Sekolah Mutiara Harapan (SMH), a semi-international school, opened its doors for Indonesian students upon over-whelming request from parents.

     Aiming to provide higher quality of education, GAIS and SMH were merged by administration of both schools in 2006. Sekolah Mutiara Harapan as the name of the school that was carried over. Empowered by this commitment, the school embarked on a new chapter with its application to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Kindergarten and Elementary levels.

     With the concerted efforts of administration, teachers, staff, parents and students; SMH became the 3rd IB World School in Sumatera in December 2009, and the only IB school in Riau Province, fully authorized to offer the PYP.

     The Junior High School section was established in 2008, followed by the Senior High School 5 years later. In 2013 both sections were accredited as Cambridge International School, offering Cambridge Secondary 1, Secondary 2 (IGCSE) and Advanced (A) Level courses.

     In accordance with the regulation of Indonesian Ministry of Education, Sekolah Mutiara Harapan status was changed to Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama (SPK)/ Affiliated School in 2014.  Also in 2014, the senior high school moved to a pre-existing building, just outside the entrance to the complex; and in 2018, a new building was built for the junior high school just behind the elementary section.  

     In 2023, the Kindergarten section moved to a newly renovated/converted building just next door to the original campus.  And in 2025, a new high school was built for Sekolah Mutiara Harapan.  The population of the whole school has ballooned from above 70 to a population over 20 years later of over 700.

Kindergarten and Primary: JKG – Grade 6
International Baccalaureate-Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP)
The PYP classes integrate the standards of primary education in Indonesia with that of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

Junior High School: Grade 7 – Grade 9
Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoints and IGCSE
Junior High School students use the Cambridge curriculum for international subjects as well as 3 required national subjects, all of which are incorporated into the curriculum structure to ensure success for admission to any institution of higher education in Indonesia or abroad.

Senior High School: Grade 10 – Grade 12
Cambridge IGCSE and AS/A Level
Senior High School students may take 5 IGCSE or 3 A Level exams to apply for overseas universities.  They may also use their national report card and take the UTBK to apply to Indonesian universities.  

Sekolah Mutiara Harapan is authorized by:

• Cater to different learning styles
• Use the world as a classroom
• Build good values and behavior
• Building positive teacher-to-student relationships
• Building positive teacher-to-student relationships