German school bridges cultures

Tangerang, Banten - Students at the German international school, wearing traditional Indonesian clothes, performed music and dances for Germany`s visiting foreign minister and vice chancellor, Franz Walter Steinmeier, on Wednesday.

"I`m going to show my skill in traditional Balinese dance for the minister," said one 9-year-old girl, a German national.

Deutsche Internationale Schule (DIS), in Bumi Serpong Damai satellite city, in Tangerang, left Steinmeier with a positive impression for its efforts to bridge cultural differences among students of different nationalities.

"Our global world expects students to acquire skills which German schools abroad are well-equipped to provide, such as multilingualism, openness and acceptance of other cultures," he said after listening to Indonesian students age between four and six speak in German.

To encourage students to expand their horizons, he promised to provide scholarships for Indonesian students who could use the German language through a cooperation with Indonesia`s Education Ministry.

During his visit, Steinmeier introduced the "Schools: Partners for the Future Initiative".

The program`s goal is to build a worldwide network of at least 1,000 partners schools through which to awaken young people`s interest in and enthusiasm for modern-day Germany and German society, he said.

"We want to develop fruitful and long-lasting cooperation with Germany and inspire schools, their teachers and pupils to enjoy an open exchange of views and engage in cooperation. For this reason the initiative plans to support many schools and with a broad range of services," said Steinmeier.

By providing additional courses, the initiative will help both pupils and teachers acquire training with a long-term impact. The initiative will thus expand young people`s skills, preparing them for study in Germany and subsequent careers, he said.

Steinmeier`s visit to the German school was part of his three-day visit to the country to build closer ties.

The German international school began admitting Indonesian students in 2000. In the past two years, 20 percent of German-speaking students at the school between the ages of 3 and 19 are Indonesians.

Since 2005, a trilingual elementary school has also opened. Students in first grade onward have classes in three languages -- English, Indonesian and German. The school uses an Indonesian curriculum that serves to prepare students to enter an international school system.

Source: old.thejakartapost.com (1 Maret 2008)
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