Teaching of Bahasa Indonesia as Optional Module in Institutions of Higher Education

19 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Education to what extent do Institutes of Higher Education (i) offer the teaching of Bahasa Indonesia as an optional module and (ii) facilitate exchange programmes and internships in Indonesia for such students.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) offer a range of language programmes, including ASEAN languages such as Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, and Vietnamese.

As Malay is one of our official languages, it is offered more widely in our IHLs – at four Universities and two Polytechnics. Bahasa Indonesia is available at the National University of Singapore and the Singapore University of Social Sciences as optional modules.

Our IHLs also offer overseas exposure to various countries, including those in our region, to develop cross-cultural competencies in our students and help them appreciate the growing economic opportunities in our region.

The IHLs send students to participate in exchanges and internships in Indonesia every year. Last year, 120 students went. We hope to increase this number over time as economic opportunities in Indonesia grow.