Transforming Character Education and Student Wellbeing through SD Fastabiqul Khairat Samarinda and Vasse Primary School Partnership
SD Fastabiqul Khairat, a private Islamic primary school in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, and Vasse Primary School, a public government school in Western Australia, have been active partners in the BRIDGE School Partnerships Program since 2020/2021.
The collaboration has created meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange, language practice, and curriculum innovation, while strengthening the professional development of teachers in both schools.
Although the partnership was initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, activities formally began in 2021 with online Pre-Program Training (PPT) in April and the Professional Learning Program (PLP) in October. These sessions laid the foundation for teacher collaboration and cross-cultural understanding.
In August 2022, the Pre-Departure Training (PDT) was conducted in Jakarta, after which SD Fastabiqul Khairat made its first official visit to Vasse Primary School. This visit, which included a one-week homestay program, became a milestone in the partnership, allowing teachers to experience classroom life in Australia first-hand.
The official partnership was represented by Ibu Winna and Ibu Elisa from SD Fastabiqul Khairat, and Ibu Jodi and Ibu Karen from Vasse PS. In 2024, the schools were selected to join the BRIDGE Existing Program, receiving additional support to deepen and strengthen collaboration.
This stage also welcomed new teacher representatives: Ibu Rinda (Grade 3) from SD Fastabiqul Khairat and Ibu Jackie (Grades 3–6) from Vasse PS. Both underwent the same orientation and training as the original teachers, ensuring sustainability despite staff transitions.
Student engagement has been at the heart of this partnership since 2021. Early activities focused on online exchanges—letters, videos, and Zoom conferences—where students practiced Bahasa Indonesia and English while discussing simple, relatable topics such as self-introductions, hobbies, favourite foods, and daily routines. These activities helped break down language barriers and encouraged genuine friendships across cultures.
Over time, the partnership introduced richer content, including cultural food exchanges, classroom discussions on climate change, and the integration of the GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion) framework. A memorable initiative was the bilingual feedback letter initiated by Ibu Jackie at Vasse PS, which was proudly displayed at SD Fastabiqul Khairat to showcase positive responses from Australian peers.
One of the most significant outcomes of the partnership has been the creation of the Wellness Class at SD Fastabiqul Khairat. This initiative was directly inspired by a visit to Vasse PS in 2022, where teachers observed the Wellbeing Class in action. With strong support from school leadership and the involvement of two in-house psychologists, the program was launched in the 2023/2024 academic year for Grades 4–6.
Year 1 (2023/2024): All grades explored Food and Mental Health, focusing on the effects of high-sugar diets on emotions and behaviour.
Year 2 (2024/2025): Content was tailored by grade level, for example, Grade 5 studied Attitude and Mood Journaling to address emotional changes during puberty.
Year 3 (2025/2026): Themes will be further differentiated—Grade 4: Food and Stress Management; Grade 5: Attitude and Journaling; Grade 6: Anti-Bullying (Semester 1 only, due to exam preparation).
The Wellness Class combines theory with practice through activities such as journaling, peer-sharing, and structured lessons adapted from Vasse Primary’s Zones of Regulation.
Homeroom and subject teachers integrate wellness principles into daily teaching, supported by the adoption of Vasse PS’s “Behaviour Expectations” framework—Respect, Responsibility, and Being the Best—which now complements SD Fastabiqul Khairat’s ten school values with measurable indicators.
Today, the Wellness Class stands as a core and distinctive program, positioning SD Fastabiqul Khairat as the only school in Samarinda to implement such a structured wellbeing initiative.
Beyond academics, it supports students’ emotional, social, and character growth while enhancing the school’s reputation as a provider of holistic education. For many parents, this innovative program has become a key reason for choosing SD Fastabiqul Khairat for their children’s schooling.
"I am truly grateful for the homestay and school visit opportunity to Vasse PS. That experience inspired us to create the Wellness Class at SD Fastabiqul Khairat—a program that has quickly become one of our core initiatives and a new highlight for our school. No other school in Samarinda has anything like it. Honestly, without seeing our partner school in person, I don’t think we would have discovered or adopted such an idea. In the beginning, our exchanges were focused on introductions and cultural sharing conducted virtually, but the visit provided us with concrete examples and learning materials that we could adapt to our students’ needs. It also allowed us to have in-depth discussions with our partner to further enrich the Wellness Class in our school." - Ibu Winna (BRIDGE teachers)