Ambassador Welcomes Angklung’s Inclusion in Gifu Special Needs School Curriculum

RRI.CO.ID, Tokyo – Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir, has welcomed the inclusion of angklung in the music curriculum at Gifu Special Needs School starting in the 2026 academic year. She said the move reflects the growing cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in inclusive education.

The cooperation was marked by the donation of a set of angklung instruments from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) to Gifu Special Needs School. The handover ceremony was held online on Monday, July 6, 2026, involving UPI, the school, and the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo.

Ambassador Kartini said direct people-to-people engagement through the arts, education, and academic activities plays an important role in Indonesia’s diplomacy. Such an approach is considered effective in introducing Indonesian culture while strengthening friendship between the two countries.

“The inclusion of angklung lessons in the Gifu Special Needs School curriculum is strong evidence of the people-to-people contact that supports the friendship between Indonesia and Japan, particularly as the two countries approach the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2028,” Ambassador Kartini said in an official statement quoted on Friday, July 10, 2026.

“The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo remains strongly committed to facilitating collaboration between the two countries in promoting Indonesian arts and culture among Japanese society,” she added.

At Gifu Special Needs School, angklung is used in music lessons for second- and third-year senior high school students. The traditional Indonesian musical instrument is seen as helping students with special needs develop their motor, communication, social interaction, and teamwork skills.

UPI Rector Didi Sukyadi expressed hope that angklung lessons would eventually reach more students and schools across Japan. He said angklung is well suited to inclusive education because it is played together and teaches the importance of harmony in diversity.

Gifu Special Needs School Principal Sachi Sumi said the students greatly enjoyed learning with the angklung. “The children really enjoy learning with the angklung. The instrument is easy to play, helps them understand rhythm, and allows all students to make music together,” she said.

Assistant Professor Yoshitaka Suzuki of Gifu University also described the angklung as an inclusive instrument that is easy for children with special needs to use. He expressed hope that it could be included in the curricula of more special needs schools across Japan.

The angklung education partnership was initiated in 2022 by UPI together with Gifu University, Gifu Special Needs School, the Gifu City Board of Education, and several other educational partners. The program includes teacher training, art workshops, cultural exchanges, and angklung performances.

The number of training sessions increased from one in 2022 to eight in 2025. In the same year, angklung teaching materials were also introduced to more than 500 special needs school teachers from seven prefectures across Japan.

In 2026, the partnership was expanded through the participation of UPI trainers in cultural festivals and international performances in Gifu, Toyota, and Nagoya. The activities form part of efforts to promote Indonesian culture while introducing angklung as a learning tool that supports inclusive education.