The Open Junior Secondary School, or "SMP Terbuka," was conceived in 1976 as a means of providing junior secondary school education through distance education delivery to disadvantaged students in Indonesia. Although different in structure, SMP Terbuka is part of Indonesia's formal educational system, and uses the same standard Junior Secondary School curricula and assessment criteria. Currently, large numbers of primary school students have geographic and socioeconomic constraints that deprive them from educational opportunities. SMP Terbuka makes further education accessible to these students through independent learning from printed modules, radio, and television, with limited face to face teacher interaction. The cost of this program is significantly lower than more formal schooling, with the same certification opportunities and learning outcomes. It is managed through a Directorate of General Secondary Education, and has rapidly grown from five locations in five provinces, to 956 locations in 27 provinces. The program is economically beneficial due to the development of human capital through vocational and technical education. Additional benefits include the cultivation of the concept of flexible learning among students, which is both independent and inclusive. SMP Terbuka represents an educational philosophy which supports lifelong learning, and which may serve as an example for other countries to follow. (YKH)