A new sister school agreement has been signed with Jinan Foreign Language School (JFLS) is in the capital of Shandong Province, Jinan.
This province has been a sister state with South Australia since 1986 and the two states share many joint economic and cultural activities. Shandong is a very significant province in China as it is the birthplace of the great sage Confucius and also has many ancient sites of continuing cultural significance.
On December 19, 2011, Adelaide High School and Jinan Foreign Language School signed an agreement to establish a sister school relationship to support the education of students in both schools and to promote international understanding. Mr Philip Wilson, Senior Leader 2, represented Adelaide High School and met with school leaders, staff and students. The facilities are extensive and the school is a leading institution with a record of high achievement. The two schools have much to gain by association in developing educational opportunities and experiences for our students. One of the immediate aims arising from the visit is a study tour by Adelaide students inside the next 12 months.
Jinan FLS has three campuses - primary, middle and senior secondary - located in different parts of the city. Overall, the school has about 8000 students. The school has selective entry programs at each level and, like Adelaide High School, there is an emphasis on international education and language learning. JFLS offers English, French, German, Japanese and soon also Spanish. You can view more about the school on its website www.jnfls.com (select the button for English version at the top right of page). JFLS has written an article about the Adelaide High School visit which is available here: http://123.232.108.17/Default.aspx?tabid=215&ArticleID=4188 and it also has some photos.
Jinan City has a population of about 6 million people and is known for its high quality education. It is also a major centre for promoting Chinese language and culture worldwide through the Confucius Institutes whose lead institution is at Shandong University where many overseas students come and study. The Adelaide University Confucius Institute is strongly linked to this organisation.
Philip Wilson
Senior Leader 2