Bahasa Indonesia's Popularity in Australian Schools

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Geographically located in close proximity to each other, it is no wonder that the relationship between Indonesia and Australia grows stronger as the time progresses. With an increasing number of Indonesian students travelling down under to pursue their academic ambitions and expanding their career option, the cultural as well as language integration into the Australian system were deemed necessary. A report shown by ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority) in its Draft-10 Australian Curriculum: Language Indonesian published in May 2013, reveals the fact that many Indonesians have been the students of Australian schools and universities since the 1950s.

Apart from being well-known as the country whose Indonesian language education provider considered as the biggest, Australia is also the only nation among others to host two Indonesian language and centre. One of them is called Balai Bahasa Indonesia (ACT) with its headquarter in Canberra. This centre facilitates locals and for individuals who are evidently keens in learning Bahasa Indonesia the language education all across Australia.

Many underlying reasons prompted the Australian government’s decision to adopt the Indonesian language in schools and universities. Their policy initiatives were largely influenced by societal, economic and national security reasons. In 1955, as explained in the ACARA  report, the Indonesian language was deemed crucial in response to the maintenance of regional stability in Asia. With the widespread of globalization, increased economic and business bilateral activities between the two countries, desirable academic institutions available and gradual boost in the tourism sector, the Indonesian language earned a prominent status.

Bahasa Indonesia is among other four important languages that are integrated into the Australian education system. Natasha Kepert, a former student of Curtin University, Western Australia, who undertook Bachelor of Arts focusing on Education, shares how the  Education Department of Western Australia (EDWA) implements a policy called ‘LOTE’ (Language Other Than English) to better prepare their students in encountering the working environment in the future that is evidently diverse in culture and language spoken.

"Indonesian is the fastest growing language in our schools… Indonesian now has more students than Japanese or French, the next two popular languages," said Natasha as quoted in Angelfire.com, Monday (12/8/2014).

She speculated the Indonesian language to be easily picked up by most Australian students as compared to any other languages apart from English that are offered in these schools. "Bahasa Indonesia has proved a popular choice for many reasons. It is perceived as being a language which is 'easy to learn', as it uses the Roman script and is written phonetically," she further explained.

Apart from its simplicity, Natasha also sees the need for Indonesian language to be adopted as the ties in the business, economic, political and societal factors have become stronger as time passes by. "Australians are beginning to perceive the necessity of stronger ties with Indonesia. There are increasing business links between the two countries, and each year many thousands of Indonesian students come to study in Australia, particularly in Western Australia," she added. (Akp/Riz)