Surabaya-Liverpool City Government Develops Inclusive Education Cooperation

Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi when receiving a visit from the British Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia Rob Fenn at Surabaya City Hall, Tuesday (28/6/2022). (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Surabaya)

SURABAYA - The City Government of Surabaya and Liverpool City, England, continues to develop partnerships with twin cities, especially in the field of inclusive education.

"Especially the development of education for students with special needs, can continue to be developed," said Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi when receiving a visit from the British Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia Rob Fenn at Surabaya City Hall, East Java, Tuesday, June 28.

The arrival of Rob Fenn also opened a Webinar for Inclusive School Teachers in Surabaya with St. Vincent's School Liverpool.

Mayor Eri explained that the sister city cooperation between the City of Surabaya and the City of Liverpool continues to be active.

The cooperation as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018, he said, was expected to be filled with various positive activities for the people of the two cities. One of them is capacity building activities for inclusive school teachers.

"This activity is a golden opportunity for the participants, consisting of 135 elementary school teachers and 135 junior high school teachers from inclusive schools in the city of Surabaya. Namely, to gain new insights regarding education for students with special needs," he said.

This educational insight, he continued, would be shared directly by the ranks of St. Vincent's School Liverpool, one of the best inclusive schools in the City of Liverpool, in fact in the whole of England. However, this activity in the field of special education is not the first time it has been held.

"In 2019 the City of Surabaya sent eight delegations of inclusive school students, along with eight companions to participate in activities at St. Vincent's School Liverpool, for six weeks," he said.

Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Indonesia Rob Fenn said, the twin cities between Surabaya City and Liverpool City have increased trade, education, cultural exchange and better relations between individuals.

As well as football cooperation between the City of Surabaya and Tranmere Rovers is a very good example.

"A shared commitment to support disability inclusion between the City of Surabaya and St. Vincent's School Liverpool through various creative ideas," said Rob Fenn.

Rob Fenn added that the synergy and collaboration that had been established with the City of Surabaya were able to overcome various problems, such as inequality, climate change and education. Therefore, he wants to invite various parties to collaborate.

"I have met and discussed with my colleagues in the city of Surabaya. I conclude that the city of Surabaya can be one of the pilot cities regarding inclusive education," he said.