In a Classroom in Purwokerto, Three Languages Unite Two Cultures
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - More than 200 school principals, teachers, and education officials from over 30 trilingual schools across Indonesia gathered at Sekolah 3 Bahasa Putera Harapan (Puhua School) in Central Java province on Saturday (25/4) to attend a forum on Mandarin language education.
The event marked the 120th anniversary of Purwokerto Chinese School, the 20th anniversary of Puhua School, and the first year of the Puhua Mandarin Language Centre, established jointly by Baoding University, Baoding Secondary School Education Group, and Puhua School.
Inaugurated in January 2025, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, the facility became the first Puhua Mandarin Language Centre in Indonesia.
During the event, two large art installations made from coloured paper umbrellas in red, white, and blue were inaugurated in the auditorium. The paper umbrellas formed writings such as “Education for All” and “I Love Indonesia”, reflecting the school’s long-held educational philosophy.
Indonesian, Mandarin, and English languages could be heard throughout the campus, where language is viewed not just as a subject, but as a bridge to connect people from different backgrounds.
Among the many trilingual schools in Indonesia, Puhua is not the largest, but it stands out as a prominent example in delivering Mandarin language education. The school now has more than 1,000 students across two campuses, with non-Chinese Indonesian students making up more than a third of the pupils.
Chen Tao, the school principal, said that more local families now view Mandarin not merely as an additional language, but as a pathway to broader educational and professional opportunities.
Opsie Emalia Putri, an Indonesian teacher who studied in Guangzhou and Tianjin, said that students now learn Mandarin through practical activities such as paper cutting art, calligraphy, traditional music, and Chinese chess.
“For many students, Mandarin is no longer just something to memorise,” she said. “The language has become something they can experience directly,” she added.
Teachers said that this influence often extends beyond the school environment. Parents attending campus activities sometimes try to write Han characters themselves after seeing what their children learn, allowing the peaceful and serene Chinese culture to seep naturally into family life.
For parents like Tifany and Meliana, whose children learn traditional Chinese dance and guzheng, the school’s value lies in learning the language alongside cultural understanding. They said they would support their children if they choose to continue studies in China in the future.
Yudil Chatim, former Education and Culture Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing, said what impressed him most was the school’s openness, with students from different ethnic and religious backgrounds learning together on one campus.
Ye Su, Consul General of China to the Republic of Indonesia (RI) in Surabaya, said the trilingual school serves as an important model for Mandarin education in Indonesia, while the Puhua Mandarin Language Centre provides Indonesian youth with a new way to better understand Chinese culture.
Sjahriati Rochmah, assistant deputy for cabinet session implementation of the RI, said the significance of the school lies in its ability to help children from different backgrounds grow together in the same environment.
Over the past year, the Puhua Mandarin Language Centre has expanded its reach beyond the campus through cultural exhibitions, calligraphy programmes, and language activities at universities and local communities.
Zhang Jinghuo, director of the Puhua Mandarin Language Centre from China, said the facility’s role has now evolved beyond language teaching. “This Mandarin language centre has become a bridge connecting Indonesia and China, as well as connecting the school with the wider community,” he said.