KUALA LUMPUR: An understanding has been reached between Malaysian and Indonesian educationists to foster closer and more meaningful ties to further strengthen their professional relationship.
The educationists, who met in Jakarta on Tuesday, also signed a joint declaration to maintain mutual respect and cooperation through the teaching profession.
The declaration was released in Jakarta and here yesterday. The Malaysian signatory to the declaration was the Malaysian Association for Education, a body comprising senior professors, lecturers, teachers and union leaders while the Indonesian signatory was the countryís largest teachers union, the Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia, with a membership of more than one million.
MAE president Prof Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid told Bernama that both organisations would play a more meaningful and effective role in helping to resolve issues and problems that might emerge from time to time between both countries.
He said initially, both organisations had agreed to cooperate in 10 areas, among them was a joint programme to exchange educationist leaders and build up local knowledge through joint research and regular conventions.
The first convention will be held next year.
He said both organisations agreed to “rise above petty issues” and focus on fostering professional development, mutual understanding and generation of educational knowledge. — Bernama