New NT student exchange opens up with Indonesia

DARWIN’s Haileybury Rendall School has unveiled plans to embark on a new student exchange program with an Indonesian school in a bid to build ties with the region

Citra Bangsa School of Kupang's chair Abraham Liyanto and Darwin's Haileybury Rendall School School principal Craig Glass have signed an agreement to run a new student exchange program until 2023. Picture: KERI MEGELUS

DARWIN’s Haileybury Rendall School has unveiled plans to embark on a new student exchange program with an Indonesian school in a bid to build ties with the region.

Principal Craig Glass signed off on the four year program yesterday with representatives from the Citra Bangsa School located in Kupang city, West Timor.

Indonesian senator Abraham Liyanto, who is also the chair of the Citra Bangsa’s school advisory board, said they would be sending over their first group of 10 students and two teachers in September.

Mr Liyanto said he also hopes the yearly exchanges can open up more opportunities for the two cities in the future.

“We are in the perfect proximity for partnership, a charter flight from Darwin to Kupang only takes one hour,” he said.

“We do hope this program will be expanded in the future into our universities as well because I understand Charles Darwin University may be keen to work with our medical school.

“Through education hopefully we can connect our cities and reintroduce direct flights as well.”

Independent Member for Blain Terry Mills said in the past many schools in the NT had deep sister school relationship in West Timor but they disappeared after the economic crisis in Indonesia and the collapse of the air link.

“Once we have people engaging with each other and there is more interest, it makes it easier to run a commercial case for a plane,” he said.

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Principal Glass said the exchanges program aims to enrich the visiting students’ cultural knowledge and linguistic skills in a new environment abroad.

“We have group of about 30 students studying Indonesian at the moment,” he said

“If they continue to study Indonesian into year 12, this could open up enormous employment opportunities.

“Especially based in Darwin where Indonesia is our number one obvious trading partner — there’s a lot of potential.”