British Council Holds Breaking Barriers Event at Soehanna Hall

The British Council is actively fostering multisector collaboration to achieve inclusive education in Indonesia. Together with the British Embassy in Jakarta, the organization is committed to ensuring that education becomes more accessible and equitable for all.

Buyung Sudrajat, the Education Program Manager for English and Schools at the British Council, emphasized their support for teachers in adopting inclusive teaching practices.

“We strive to support teachers by providing grants to teacher trainers. These trainers help educators make use of British Council resources tailored to the context of English language teaching in Indonesia,” said Buyung during the “Breaking Barriers” event held at Soehanna Hall, Energy Building, Sudirman, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The primary goal, he explained, is to enable teachers to address the diverse needs of students.

One of the organizations benefiting from this support is the Pohon Sagoe Foundation in Maluku. Through the Skills for Inclusive Digital Participation (SIDP) program supported by the British Council, Pohon Sagoe provides digital skills training for young people with disabilities in Maluku.

Sanro Jovan Latarissa, a community-level trainer from Pohon Sagoe, shared some examples of the training provided, such as social media usage and design creation using Canva.

“We have reached approximately 100 friends with disabilities in Ambon, including Teman Tuli, Teman Grahita, and Teman Daksa. We visited schools and sought support from teachers and parents to involve these children in the SIDP program,” said Jovan.

At the same event, Wuri Handayani, an accounting lecturer at Gadjah Mada University and a UK Social Action Grants awardee, shared her experience. Using the grant, Wuri developed a “buddy system” that pairs students with disabilities with non-disabled peers to foster interaction on campus.

“The principle is that every student can be supported by a non-disabled peer. This way, an inclusive society can begin to form within smaller environments,” said Wuri.

Summer Xia, Country Director for the British Council in Indonesia, highlighted three key aspects of promoting inclusivity. First, she stressed the importance of adopting a social model approach to addressing the needs of people with disabilities.

“It’s not solely about medical needs or charity. Disabilities also stem from the social barriers created by society,” said Summer. Second, she emphasized the significance of involving people with disabilities in policymaking. Finally, she noted that anyone, including individuals with disabilities, can become agents of change.

*Source: Tempo

*Photo: British Council