Remarks by Minister at the Signing of MOU on Education Cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore on 24 June 2005, 2.30 p.m. at Sekolah Indonesia Singapura

Remarks by Minister at the Signing of MOU on Education Cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore on 24 June 2005, 2.30 p.m. at Sekolah Indonesia Singapura

His Excellency Prof Dr Bambang Sudibyo,
Minister of National Education, Indonesia,

1. It gives me great pleasure to be here this afternoon for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Education Cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore.

2. As close neighbours, Singapore and Indonesia enjoy close and warm ties. There are regular high-level visits between the two countries, including the visits to Singapore by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in February and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla in May this year. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and other Ministers from Singapore have also visited Indonesia earlier this year.

3. In February 2005, I visited Indonesia to witness the signing of MOUs between Nanyang Technological University and the University of Indonesia and the Institute of Technology Bandung. About 3 weeks ago, Singapore Polytechnic signed an MOU with Del Polytechnic, in a ceremony witnessed by Dr Kusmayanto Kadiman, Indonesian State Minister for Research and Technology.

4. Today’s signing of the MOU between the Ministry of National Education, Indonesia, and the Ministry of Education, Singapore, marks another significant step in furthering our two countries’ cooperation in education. The MOU sets out a comprehensive framework for cooperation, covering collaborations from the school to university levels. Collaborations range from exchanges of information to school-to-school linkages; to joint student activities and joint research.

5. Several of these collaborations are already taking off. For instance, following my request to Minister Bambang Sudibyo earlier this year, students from an Indonesian school, SMAN 1 Padang, will be performing a dance item at the Opening of the Singapore Youth Festival in July this year. This is the first time we will have a school from abroad performing at the Singapore Youth Festival. We are likewise looking forward to welcoming Indonesian school leaders at the inaugural International Leaders in Education Programme at the National Institute of Education this August.

6. We will soon be linking up some 15 primary and secondary schools in Indonesia and Singapore under our school twinning programme. The partner schools will conduct joint activities like camps, projects and exchange of visits.

7. We will in addition organise friendly sports competitions and adventure camps involving students from both countries. The first sports camp will be held in October this year in Singapore.

8. There will also be closer linkages between universities in Indonesia and Singapore. National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University will link up with six top universities in Indonesia for collaborations like student and faculty exchanges, joint research and faculty development initiatives. In addition, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University will offer up to 10 research scholarships each to Indonesian academics to pursue doctorate degrees in various disciplines.

9. The Tsunami disaster devastated many parts of Aceh. It is a tragic event, but it has also brought the regional and international community together to support the countries affected. As a close neighbour, Singapore has played its part in the relief efforts in Aceh and in other countries. Singapore is also actively involved in the reconstruction effort that is currently undertaken.

10. I am pleased to say that Singapore will also be contributing in the area of teacher training in Aceh. MOE will be working with the Regional Language Centre and the Nanyang Polytechnic to offer train-the-trainers programmes in the English language and ICT to educators from Aceh. Up to 80 educators from Aceh are expected to benefit from these programmes.

11. I am confident that the MOU will pave the way for more people-to-people exchanges. These exchanges will benefit the students, teachers and officials from both countries, and ultimately lead to the further strengthening of the close relations between Indonesia and Singapore.