According to a statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney via a short message service received by Antara here, Thursday, the promotional program comprised an interactive Indonesian traditional musical instrument angklung performance by the Adelindo Group, a dance form of East Nusa Tenggara performed by Indonesian students from Flinders University, as well as a short video that highlighted the current conditions of Indonesia.
While addressing the Woodville students and teachers, Consul Zani Murnia, who represented the Indonesian Consul General in Sydney on the visit, stated that listening and playing musical instruments as well as performing Indonesian dance could be a way to get to know Indonesia more closely.
"Hopefully, by playing music, performing Indonesian traditional dances, and conversing with Indonesian people like me, you will be increasingly interested in learning about Indonesian cultures and gaining a deeper understanding about Indonesia," Consul Murnia stated.
The consul added that such interest could lead the students to continue learning Indonesian in high school and also in higher education institutions.
Woodville High School is a state school in Adelaide that teaches Indonesian and Vietnamese as a compulsory subject at eighth grade. Indonesian can be continued as an elective subject at ninth grade.
Some 50 students in Woodville are currently studying Indonesian at all grade levels.
This number is no more than those studying the subject at other schools in South Australia.
"If the travel advisory to Indonesia in South Australia is removed, we can send several students from Indonesian Language classes to visit Indonesia. I believe it will make the process to learn Indonesian language a more attractive choice for students in this school," Woodville Principal Meredith Edwards noted at a meeting with Consul Murnia and Indonesian teacher Dianne Dahim at the conclusion of the visit.
The Indonesia Goes to School program aims to promote Indonesian language learning and teaching in the work areas of the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney, which includes New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia.
This program is one of the priority programs of the Consulate General this year.
During 2018, the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney has implemented the Indonesia Goes to School program four times, including in Woodville.
Other high schools that have been visited under this program are Shearwater in the northern part of NSW, St John the Evangesist in Nowra, and Le Fevre in Adelaide.
Reporter: Libertina W. Ambari
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
