From 27 to 30 May 2024, a delegation from the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL) visited four schools in Surabaya, Indonesia, to gain a deeper understanding of local Chinese education and to discuss potential future collaborations in teachers' training. Led by Dr Foo Suan Fong, Executive Director of SCCL, the delegation included Mr Chong Leong Chin, Deputy Executive Director, as well as Ooi Ching Ya and Yang Yang Rebecca from the Business Development Department.

       The schools visited by the delegation were Elyon Christian School, Singapore National Academy, Sekolah Kristen Logos, and Xin Zhong School. Diverse in their backgrounds, these schools hold significant influence and representativeness in the educational sector of Surabaya.

       During the visit to Elyon Christian School, SCCL learned about the school's achievements and challenges in promoting Chinese education. The school's leadership was seeking innovative teaching pedagogies to improve educational quality. Concurrently, Singapore National Academy proposed a joint Chinese Language Seminar aimed at enhancing teaching quality and teachers' professional skills, and fostering the sharing of educational resources. Sekolah Kristen Logos faced a shortage of Chinese language teachers but remained committed to providing quality education. The representatives from Xin Zhong School discussed the ways to strengthen collaboration between Singapore and Indonesian schools through SCCL, emphasising the importance of innovation in teaching methods and teachers' professional development.

       Additionally, the delegation had a lively discussion with the Chairperson and directors of the East Java Chinese Education Coordination Organization regarding the development of Chinese education.

       This visit and exchange not only deepened SCCL's understanding of the current state of Chinese education in Surabaya but also laid the groundwork for potential future educational cooperation, particularly in the areas of teacher training and sharing of educational resources. SCCL hopes to enhance the quality of teaching by sharing Singapore's Chinese teaching methods and experiences, thereby promoting the development of Chinese education in the region. 

A group photo of SCCL delegation with the representatives from Elyon Christian School

SCCL delegation interacted with the representatives from Singapore National Academy

Dr Foo Suan Fong, Executive Director of SCCL, exchanged gifts with the representative from Sekolah Kristen Logos

A group photo of SCCL delegation with the representatives from Xin Zhong School