By Romy Stephens
A delegation of international parliamentarians joined Casey MP Tony Smith on a tour of Birmingham Primary School on 22 November.
It came after the school won this year’s Dr Lawrie Shears Excellence in Global Teaching and Learning Award at the Victorian Education Excellence Awards.
Parliamentarians from Brunei, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia took part in the annual delegation which visited Melbourne, the electorate of Casey and Canberra.
Birmingham Primary School Principal Trish Enzinger said it was great to be selected to represent government schools.
“We were able to showcase our global studies program, our student exchange program and our CIS membership,” she said.
“The kids loved it and acquitted themselves really well.
“I’m very proud to be the only school in Australia that they’re visiting. It’s a real honour, we took it really seriously and we’re very proud of what we do.”
Parliamentary exchanges with the ten Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries are a tradition for the Australian Parliament’s international program.
As part of the visit to Birmingham, students hosted a tour of the school and presented visitors with an Australian flag and a school magazine.
Mr Smith said the delegation experienced a unique perspective of Australian life through it’s visit to the electorate of Casey.
“It’s been a pleasure to host them here in our local community where they can see our part of the world and have the opportunity to meet with local school leaders, the Mayor and Council staff, and some business and community leaders,” he said.
“Birmingham Primary School has a strong international focus so they were able to see part of the global studies class but also see first-hand a vibrant primary school in a wonderful Australian Environment with parkland and bushland. It’s very different from inner-city schools.”
After winning the Education Excellence Award, Birmingham Primary School will also receive a $25,000 grant which it plans to put towards professional learning.
