Latest Singapore-Indonesia Collaboration Aims to Uplift Quality of Early Childhood Education in West Java

BANDUNG,Indonesia,Nov. 6,2019 -- The Singapore International Foundation (SIF),in partnership with the Indonesian Kindergarten Teachers Association (IGTKI) West Java and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS),launched a two-year capacity-building programme in Bandung today. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Project is a two-year project seeking to enhance the capabilities of early childhood educators in the West Java province.

The two-year Early Childhood Education Project marks the Singapore International Foundation’s first early childhood education initiative in West Java and aims to benefit over 9,000 members of the Indonesian community by 2021.

Over the next two years,a team of Singapore International Volunteers (SIVs) comprising faculty members from the ECE programme in SUSS will collaborate with Indonesian ECE specialists,who are registered members of IGTKI. The SIVs will train their Indonesian peers through the sharing of knowledge,skills and best practices in ECE. Using the Training-of-Trainers (ToT) approach,the 50 master trainers will be further equipped with enhanced pedagogy and quality assessment skills,allowing them to cascade their knowledge to 250 of their peers in the sector. The project is expected to positively impact over 9,000 members of the Indonesian community within the next two years,including students,teachers,parents,and caregivers.

The project is guided by the twin objectives of equipping ECE practitioners in West Java with enhanced skillsets in ECE service delivery,as well as upskilling the training capacities of ECE practitioners to ensure long-term sustainability of the project.

These objectives will be fulfilled through three components – training workshops to facilitate the professional development of ECE practitioners; ToT to enable cascade training and longevity of the project; and the development and implementation of a resource repository for ECE practitioners outside the programme to utilise. These components will also facilitate cross-country networking and sharing of best-practices within the ECE sector.

Upon completion of the project,participants are expected to comprehend and execute fundamental pedagogical strategies,enhancing their delivery of ECE services. A quality assessment framework will be implemented to assess trainees' competency in applying their learnings.

The launch ceremony was held at the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) Building in Bandung,the West Java premises of the largest teachers' association in Indonesia. Gracing the event were Mr Jaryll Chan,Division Director,Programmes,SIF; Ms Renni Kusaneni,Chairman,IGTKI West Java; Dr Edi Parmadi,Head,West Java Chapter,PGRI; and SIV and Associate Professor Sirene May-Yin Lim,Academic Lead,Early Childhood Education Programme,S R Nathan School of Human Development,SUSS.

Mr Jaryll Chan,SIF said: "The SIF believes that when people from different cultures collaborate,the possibilities for positive change are endless. This joint effort between Singapore and Indonesia is particularly significant,as both countries have signalled an increasing need in making early childhood education accessible to all. We look forward to strengthening the enduring friendship between our two countries through this meaningful project."

"Children are the future of our world. Their education is important as it ensures that they are equipped with the skills they need as they inherit this world. IGTKI is delighted to work together with all stakeholders concerning Early Childhood Education,including our Singaporean partners. We are proud of SIF and SUSS who work towards raising the quality of early childhood education in our country. This collaboration will enable us to create a better world for our children," said Ms Renni Kusnaeni,IGTKI.

SIV and Associate Professor Sirene May-Yin Lim,Academic Lead for the Early Childhood Education Programme at SUSS,said: "Early childhood education plays an important role in building communities as it supports the development of people through the years. It is important for every country to invest in early childhood education,which forms the foundation for lifelong learning. I am pleased to be a part of this meaningful collaboration between Singapore and Indonesia through the work of the SIF and its partners. I look forward to the insights gained from my peers in Indonesia and to do my part in contributing to the global ECE landscape."

The SIF's work in Indonesia began in 1992 primarily in the areas of healthcare and education capacity-building projects,and in recent years included projects in the areas of social entrepreneurship and arts and culture. Globally,the Early Childhood Education Project contributes to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals,in particular Goal 4: Inclusive and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,and Goal 17: Partnerships for sustainable development.

About the Singapore International Foundation

The Singapore International Foundation makes friends for a better world. We build enduring relationships between Singaporeans and world communities,and harness these friendships to enrich lives and effect positive change. Our work is anchored in the belief that cross-cultural interactions provide insights that strengthen understanding. These exchanges inspire action and enable collaborations for good. Our programmes bring people together to share ideas,skills and experiences in areas such as healthcare,education,the environment,arts and culture,as well as livelihood and business. We do this because we all can,and should do our part to build a better world,one we envision as peaceful,inclusive and offering opportunities for all. Find out more at www.sif.org.sg.

About the Indonesian Kindergarten Teachers Association (IGTKI) West Java

Indonesian Kindergarten Teacher Association (IGTKI) West Java Chapter is a professional organisation that values democracy and creativity in our culturally diverse activities. We build the capacities of our 32,000 members through training in Early Childhood Education in line with the government curriculum,inclusive education for special needs children,basic training of gymnastics and martial arts,traditional Sundanese bamboo instrument (angklung) and dances,and many more. We also encourage our members to author and illustrate books for our kindergarten children to increase their literacy,language acquisition and development.

About the Singapore University of Social Sciences

SUSS is a university with a rich heritage in providing lifelong,learner-centric and industry-relevant education.Our mission is to champion lifelong education to develop future thinkers and leaders to their fullest potential through our 3H's education philosophy – 'Head' for professional competency with applied knowledge,'Heart' for social awareness of the needs of the society,and 'Habit' for passion towards lifelong learning.

We offer more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programmes,available in full- and part-time study modes which are flexible,modular and multi-faceted in learning experience to cater to both fresh school leavers and adult learners. We also launched a broad range of continuing education and training modular courses for the professional skills and knowledge upgrading of our workforce.

Our programmes and courses are made available through our five schools:

S R Nathan School of Human Development

School of Business

School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences

School of Law

School of Science and Technology

To date,over 30,000 graduates have chosen SUSS as their university of choice. Each year,about 15,000 students are pursuing their full- and part-time studies with us.

From 1 April 2019,theInstitute for Adult Learning(IAL)became an autonomous institute of SUSS. Both entities enable a synergistic collaboration as IAL brings to SUSS its expertise and experience in adult learning and Continuing Education and Training (CET),while SUSS provides an ecosystem of resources and experts rooted in academic rigour.

For more information on SUSS,please visitwww.suss.edu.sg.

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