ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/23/06 17 August 2006
Indian teachers gain from Australia visit, impressed with teaching practices
Ten Delhi school teachers, including two principals, have returned from a tour of Australia after their successful participation in the Teachers Exchange Program. The program was organised by the Australian Education International in association with the Asia Education Foundation, Melbourne and funded by the Australia- India Council (AIC).
At a presentation-cum-reception hosted at the Australian High Commission, the participants shared their experiences and insights gained from the tour. They also announced their plans to organise workshops on the teaching and assessment methodologies adopted by schools in Australia for fellow teachers.
Speaking at the program, Professor John Webb, Counsellor, Education and Training, Australian High Commission, said, “Teachers are the inspiration for our children, opening up new worlds of opportunities for them. The teachers who join this exchange program bring rich experiences to share with their students and fellow teachers, providing them knowledge beyond their textbooks”.
“With a large number of students opting for Australia as their preferred higher education destination, this is an important time for increasing exchange and engagement between India and Australia through such programs. They can give students the necessary information on Australian education – and what to expect in Australia - at an early stage in life”, added Professor Webb.
Ms Mohina Dar, Principal, Amity International School, Noida said, “My visit to Australia brought home the similarities and differences of two diametrically opposite cultures. I was particularly impressed by the 'socially just' curriculum that acknowledges the disparate requirements of the regional environmental differences and has formulated strategic policies to have an integrated curriculum even at the senior school level.”
Mrs Manji Sethi, Blue Bells, added, “The exchange program is a lifetime opportunity to gain an insight into the teaching methodology of the two countries. In the global scenario, such experiences add towards building bridges across nations and move towards a common objective of creating sensitive global citizens."
The exchange program has been running for eight years, involving over 200 Australian and Indian teachers. Under the program, teachers from Australia visit India in January each year followed by a visit to Australia by Indian teachers in May-June. The participants bring back teaching material and resources to aid them to incorporate features of Australian teaching systems in their respective school curricula.
For further details, please contact Ms Anu Jain, Education Promotion Officer, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, on 4149 4360.