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Jakarta Post

Government program invites students to embrace cultural differences

Government program invites students to embrace cultural differences Students seeking to join the program must possess high academic scores. (Shutterstock/File)
News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta   ●   Fri, August 10, 2018 2018-08-10 19:32 2047 b147f6715e2195e5246e701df527094b 4 News Angkasa-Pura-I,State-owned-Enterprises-Ministry,Education,student,operators,Airport Free

Twenty-three students from Yogyakarta are participating in the Siswa Mengenal Nusantara (Studying the Archipelago) program, which will see them travel to Central Kalimantan for about one week and learn about that province’s culture and tourism.

Before flying to Kalimantan, the 20 senior high school (SMA) and vocational high school (SMK) students and three students of special needs schools (SLB) underwent two days of training in Yogyakarta on Wednesday and Thursday.

Agus Pandu Purnama, the general manager of Adisutjipto International Airport Yogyakarta, described the program as a student exchange. “Additionally, students from Central Kalimantan will travel to Yogyakarta to learn about its diverse tourism and culture from Aug. 11 to 20,” Pandu said in a statement.

Read also: Angkasa Pura I shares airports development updates

The exchange program, held annually by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, equips participating students with the knowledge they need to represent their province.The exchange program, held annually by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, equips participating students with the knowledge they need to represent their province. (Angkasa Pura I/File)

The program, run by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry and held for the fourth time this year, also prepares its participants with knowledge in various fields, from an introduction to the ministry, journalism and photography to video blogging (vlogging) for social media and an art class. “Hopefully this knowledge will enable them to represent Yogyakarta and introduce its culture to those [living in] other province,” Pandu said.

Meanwhile, Yogyakarta Education and Sports Agency head R. Kadarmanta Baskara Aji said the program was a way to increase students’ affection for their own country by learning about the cultures of another province.

“I hope this program will continue in the following years, because it’s important, as students can spread information about Yogyakarta among their friends in Central Kalimantan,” Baskara said.

Students seeking to participate in the annual event are required to pass three phases, including and administration phase and a provincial-level test. They should also possess high academic scores and come from middle to low-income households. (wir/kes)