DILI, 24/07/2017 (FDCH). The Executive Secretary for the Human Capital Development Fund (FDCH), Mr. IsmĂ©nio Martins da Silva, as well as the Coordinator for the Administration, Finance and Human Resources Office (GAFRHI), Ms. Leila Carceres, attended an event which was primarily organised to introduce the 25 Malay trainers for the Indonesian Malay Language Training Programme – Bahasa Indonesia Bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA).
The Indonesian Malay language is sometimes a barrier for the Timorese citizens who attend training in Indonesia. Therefore, the Government of Indonesia, through its Embassy in Timor-Leste, is tendering language training courses to the Timorese people. These 25 trainers came to Timor-Leste to support this training programme and they are now working on the preparation of this programme to start teaching at the Pusat Budaya Indonesia (PBI), at the Institute of Business (IOB) and at the East Timor Coffee Institute Ermera.
Dr. Ir. Sedercor Melatunan, the Indonesian Attaché for the Education and Culture Affairs in Timor-Leste: «Only eight Indonesian trainers had come to Timor-Leste to teach the language before, but in the beginning of 2017 things took a considerable turn and Indonesia sent 25 trainers to support the Malay language teaching in Timor-Leste.»
The Education Attaché also stated that Timorese people are keen to learn Indonesian Malay, which can be ascertained by the number of participants, which rose steeply from 100 last year to 1200 in 2007.
The Attaché says he would like the Malay Language to be integrated as a subject in the High School curriculum (secondary level), and not as an option available at the higher education institutions only, so that students willing to study in Indonesia, could be fully prepared to do so after finishing the high school.
In this same event, the Indonesian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Sahat Sitorus, has encouraged all the trainers who came to teach the language to the Timorese people to maintain the good spirit and their enthusiasm to teach.
These trainers should be regarded as unconditional heroes whose favour is only hardly repayable. The Ambassador has asked the trainees to make good use of this opportunity.
«Once again, I would like to congratulate you all, you must study and endeavour. Indonesia will always be there to work together with our colleagues, with the Timorese people, and move forward together towards development,» the Ambassador added.
During his speech, the Rector (Dean) of IOB, Augusto da Conceição Soares SE, MM, thanked the Indonesian Government, via its Ambassador and Attaché for Education Affairs, for the collaboration with IOB in sending people to support the Indonesian Malay language teaching in his University.
The Rector asked the students to seize the opportunity offered as Timor-Leste needs capable human resources: «Your duty is to study, study, study, this is your time, ours is already gone and, therefore, you have to study to be able to move our country forward. If not you, who then? If not now, when then?»
FDCH’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Isménio Martins da Silva, also addressed the guests at the event, presenting some details about the work developed by FDCH regarding the development of human resources and sharing information about the Scholarship Programme, which has already benefitted 3450 people.
In regards to the Indonesian Malay language training programme, the Executive Secretary to the FDCH agrees with the Indonesian Attaché for Education, stating that the desire to learn the language has increased among the Timorese: «It is true that our students and colleagues are willing to study the language, as there are still some schools that use Malay to teach some Basic Sciences subjects. Moreover, our Constitution allows the use of four languages; we have official languages, national languages as well as working languages.»
Therefore, we, as members of the Government, authorise this training and we ask our colleagues who wish to study further in Indonesia or in Malay speaking countries to seize this opportunity offered by PIB and by the Indonesian Ambassador.
As his final statement, the Executive Secretary assured that human resources will continue to be a priority with the new government ahead.
The hosting of the Malay language trainers took place at the Pusat Budaya Indonesia (PBI), next to Mercado Lama in Dili, Timor-Leste. The following guests have attended this function: the Indonesian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, the Indonesian Attaché for Education Affairs in Timor-Leste, the East Timor Coffee Institute Ermera Director, IOB’s Rector, a representative from the Ministry of Education, the Executive Secretary to FDCH, all the trainers and trainees. (Media FDCH)