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Speaking in sync: Addressing the chronic decline of the Indonesian language in Australia
The number of Australian students participating in Indonesian language programs has hit a historic low, and many researchers voiced concerns that this trend could have an adverse effect on broader bilateral ties.
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Grade 8 students from the Macarthur Anglican School in rural New South Wales, Australia learn to use Bahasa Indonesia, in this file photo taken on Aug. 24, 2022, in a simulation held as part of an joint educational program dubbed “Indonesia Goes to School”. (KJRI Sydney/-)
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ustralia has an Indonesian language problem; or rather, the lack of it. The number of Australian students participating in Indonesian-language programs has hit a historic low, and many Australian researchers have voiced concern that this trend could have an adverse effect on the broader bilateral ties.
“Why have the numbers dropped? I think that there’s a multitude of reasons,” said Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams in response to a question on the perceived decline in engagement in Indonesian education programs.
“There’s competition [from the popularity of other languages] and some countries are also much more aggressive in the market in terms of really pushing and funding those sorts of [learning] opportunities,” Williams said during a discussion on Wednesday.
“Universities for a long time would have said, ‘Just give us more money’, [but] I don’t think that’s the answer. You have to build the demand for it.”
Despite being geographically close neighbors, Indonesians and Australians still regularly face cultural barriers, including in language. Language is not only essential for Australians wishing to strengthen their relationship with Indonesia, but Indonesian proficiency can also impact those of Indonesian descent living in Australia, according to a 2021 anecdotal study.
The Lowy Institute, which has surveyed Australians on their views about Indonesia for 15 years, has stated that their answers in regular polling continue to demonstrate a lack of knowledge about their largest neighbor.
Read also: Australians still have little trust in Indonesia due to unfamiliarity: SurveyLanguage as vehicle
