Teachers from Indonesia including Bali will get an opportunity to know Australia better including latest situation and culture of the land of the kangaroos through Australia-Indonesia Bridge Project. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the program has just been signed at Bali office of the ministry for education by the head of the office Kusuma Wardhani and representative of Australian government Josephine Ratna. Present on the event was a representatif for Australian Consulate, Melinda.

Josephine Ratna, Manager of Australian Education Center told Bali Post reporter that through the program, Indonesia and Australia will build a bridge through education and friendship. “For Bali there are 14 teachers from 7 schools who will get the opportunity to visit Australia in 2009 to establish a partnership with Australian schools. During their visit to Australia they will improve their English proficiency and get trainings on education as well as information and communicaton technology,” said Ratna.

The visit is actually part of the new educational innitiative called Australia-Indonesia Bridge Project as announced by Australian Forreign Affair Minister Stephen Smith during his visit to Indonesia back in August 2008.

It is a very good oppotunity for Indonesian teachers to attend training in information and communication technology and professional development whilst establishing relationship as well as sharing experiance with their Australian counterparts. The three-years-duration project is funded by The Myer Foundation, Australian Govenrment through AusAID, and Australian Indonesia Institute (AII).

The seven schools of Bali involved in the program are 1st Senior High School of Denpasar, 4th Senior High School of Denpasar, St. Joseph Catholic Senior High School, 1st Muhammadiyah Senior High School Denpasar, 4th Junior High School of Marga Tabanan, 3rd Junior High School of Ubud Gianyar, 4th Junior High School of Bebandem Karangasem.

Kusuma Wardhani express positive appreciation to the program. Teachers joining the program are expected to get widen perspective which then will improve education quality. “Schlarship programs for both students and techers actually have been developed for quite a while between Indonesian Ministry for Education and Australian Government. The program is expected to ignite closer relationship between Bali and Australia,” said Kusuma Wardhani.