Teddy: Learning at the Palace a Lasting Experience for Special Needs Students

Jakarta (ANTARA) — As many as 164 pupils from special needs schools (SLB) across Jakarta were given the opportunity to experience teaching and learning at the Presidential Palace of Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday through the ‘Palace for Schoolchildren’ programme.

Following the visit, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya expressed hope that it would become a lasting experience for the pupils.

“This morning, the Palace once again opened its doors to Indonesia’s children. A total of 164 pupils from the Indonesian Disability Institute (INDISI) are attending the ‘Palace for Schoolchildren’ programme. With great enthusiasm, our siblings with hearing, intellectual and physical disabilities have come to get to know the Jakarta Presidential Palace and the nation’s history up close,” the Cabinet Secretary said in a statement.

Teddy hoped the visit would become a memorable experience and nurture the belief that every Indonesian child has an equal opportunity to dream, learn, create and serve the nation.

On the same occasion, he shared his impressions of the special needs schoolchildren’s visit to the Palace that day. For the Cabinet Secretary, physical limitations are not an obstacle to dreaming and striving to achieve future aspirations.

“They arrived with lofty ambitions, great spirit and a strong determination to keep learning and pursue their futures. Today is a reminder that spirit, determination and ambition know no boundaries,” Teddy said.

He therefore hoped that the ‘Palace for Schoolchildren’ programme attended by the SLB pupils that day would also serve as a small step towards motivating the children not to fear dreaming and to keep creating.

“Disability is not a limit to achieving one’s dreams. Who knows, perhaps from these small steps today great works will emerge that will bring honour to Indonesia’s name in the eyes of the world,” said Teddy.

According to several photographs released by the Presidential Secretariat, the group of special needs pupils was taken on a tour of several rooms in the State Palace, Merdeka Palace and the Cabinet Secretariat building.

The pupils were also introduced to members of the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres), wearing the various uniforms they don each day while on duty at the Palace.

Afterwards, at the Palace’s iconic corners, the pupils had the opportunity to take photographs together to commemorate their day of learning at the Presidential Palace of Indonesia.