Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto plans to add English courses to hone the language skills of Indonesian migrant workers planning to go abroad.

He also requested assistance from New Zealand teachers to support Indonesian workers' language skills as an effort to enhance cooperation in the education sector.

He conveyed this during a bilateral meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday.

“I asked if New Zealand could provide teachers to help us expand English courses for Indonesians planning to work abroad, as language proficiency is vital. We are still discussing this initiative,” he said in a statement delivered via video from the Presidential Secretariat.

During the meeting, Prabowo emphasized that education and agriculture are among the areas of cooperation he aims to enhance with New Zealand.

In addition, the president aims to send Indonesian students to pursue medical and dental studies in New Zealand to meet the need for general practitioners and dentists at home.

"We want to cooperate in agriculture and education. We also want to send more students to study medicine and dentistry. We really need more doctors and dentists," he remarked.

On the occasion, President Prabowo also discussed the uncertain global situation with Prime Minister Luxon.

In addition to Indonesia and New Zealand, the leaders attending the 2025 APEC Summit also sought to lower tensions.

"Geopolitics is still very volatile; there are many conflicts. We are trying to lower the temperature, calm things down," Prabowo noted.

This was Prabowo's second meeting with the New Zealand Prime Minister. The two leaders previously met a year ago, on the sidelines of the 2024 APEC Summit in Peru on November 15, 2024.

"We are in the same region and share common values and interests. I would like to reiterate my commitment to sustaining this harmonious partnership, bolstering the cooperation and friendship fostered between our countries," Prabowo told Luxon at that time.

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