Friday 25 January 2008 at 4.40pm was an important occasion in Indonesian Language Teaching in Western Australia. That was the moment when GA 730 landed in Perth with the first ever WA Department of Education and Training (DET) Indonesian Language Assistants on board.

Mr Agustinus Budi Winursito (Budi), Ms Maria Suci Wuryanti (Suci) and Ms Agatha Uni Asmarani (Uni), were warmly greeted at the airport by Dian Nirmalasari (KRI Vice Consul Protocol) and Karen Bailey (representing WILTA) and accompanied to their temporary accommodation at the St Thomas More College in Nedlands.

After an orientation day at the Department of Education’s Central Office on Tue 29 Jan, the Language Assistants will spend 2008 working with teachers and students of Indonesian in WA Government schools. Mr Alexander Due, the fourth Language Assistant arrived several days later to to begin his duties with the Department.

The Department of Education’s Language Assistant Program has been in operation for decades however in the past it has only been available for French and German. After a formal approach by WILTA and representatives of the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia Perth in early 2005, initial discussions were held with DET to include Indonesian language in this very worthwhile program. Two years of negotiations and much work has now led to the inclusion of up to four Indonesian Language Assistants in what is intended will be a yearly intake.

Kenalkan Guru Pendamping (Language Assistant Program WA 2008)

Mas Budi lahir di Magelang di propinsi Jawa Tengah. Dia menanti-nanti kesempatan belajar tentang kebudayaan Australia dan bagaimana gaya hidup orang Australia. Mas Budi menjadi sangat antusias dengan kesempatannya untuk memperkenalkan gaya Indonesia kepada murid-murid di Australia. Mbak Uni lahir di Lubuklinggau di propinsi Sumatera Selatan. Sesudah lulus SMA Mbak Uni pindah ke Yogyakarta mencari pengalaman baru. Yang mengesankan dia mengenai Perth adalah sistem kota yang sangat teratur dan toko-toko yang tutup jam setengah enam!

Mbak Suci lahir di Klaten di DI Yogyakarta. Dia tidak sabar ingin tahu cara pengajaran dan pembelajaran bahasa Indonesia di Australia Barat. Seperti Mas Budi dan Mbak Uni, Mbak Suci lumayan gugup menghadapi tantangan tinggal di Australia Barat dan mengajar bahasa Indonesia. Informasi mengenai Bapak Alexander Due akan segera diterbitkan