The Governor-General of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable, Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Lynn Cosgrove, paid an official visit to the Australian International School Malaysia (AISM), accompanied by His Excellency Mr Rod Smith, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia and his wife, Ms. Leanne Brueckner, during a five-day state visit to Malaysia. The visit to the school signified the importance that Australia places in the education sector to help strengthen ties between both countries. It was also an excellent opportunity for AISM to showcase how Australian education is being delivered to Malaysians and international students from many countries across the world.
Dr Deborah Priest, Principal of AISM, welcomed the Governor-General and High Commissioner with representatives and student leaders of the school. She accompanied them on a tour of the 7.5-acre campus, which provides Australian education in Malaysia to more than 650 students from 37 different nationalities. The Governor-General had the opportunity to meet and interact with various members of AISM’s staff, students and parents throughout the tour. The student population is truly international with thirty percent from Australia, thirty percent from across the globe and forty percent from Malaysia. Many Malaysian students have parents and siblings who have studied in Australia, which is being strongly encouraged and supported through the New Colombo Plan.
Sir Peter Cosgrove was amazed with the school’s 21st century classrooms, flexible learning environment and extensive facilities. The tour saw the Governor-General speaking to teachers and students about their learning and even had His Excellency work with the school’s Year 8 Design students in the school’s amazing Design and Technology Laboratory.
Edly Kamaruzzaman Elias, a Year 11 Malaysian student, was fortunate to share a memorable moment with the Governor-General as he reminisced about his own experience of being brought up in a household where his father was a former Colonel.
“Besides the influence from my father, I also studied in the Royal Military College Malaysia before joining AISM. My military background has indeed given me an extra edge in personal development and now at AISM, I have an amazing opportunity of learning in an international community,” says Edly.
His Excellency ended his tour at the school’s Cabarita Café, where he met and chatted with parents of the school in a more casual setting. As the entourage of security, media and the official cars left the school campus, Dr. Priest made a note of the significance of the visit to AISM.
“It was such an honour for the school to showcase not only our excellent facilities, but more importantly to show how the school is using the Australian Curriculum and the Australian way of teaching to prepare students to enter top universities around the world and to succeed in a multicultural and global work environment,” she said.
She went on to say how proud she was of all the students who had a chance to talk to the Governor-General. “They were articulate, knowledgeable and welcoming. They left a lasting and positive memory for the official guests,” Dr. Priest added.
About the Australian International School Malaysia (AISM)
AISM is the only international school in Malaysia offering the Australian Curriculum for students from pre-school right up to pre-university. Established since 2000, the school offers a holistic learning experience, leading to the Higher School Certificate (HSC), which is an internationally recognized qualification accepted by top universities around the world. Whilst great emphasis is placed on academic excellence, the physical, emotional and social dimensions of growth are seen as crucial elements of our teaching and reflect the Australian education philosophy of developing the whole child.
