VP talks of character building for the future

Vice President Boediono said Saturday that parents, teachers and the government should stand together in monitoring children’s activities to prepare our future leaders.

“We should always bear in mind that it is important for us to prepare character building education if we hope to continue moving forward amid tight competition. Preparing future leaders is the most important thing,” he said at a meeting with student and teacher representatives from public senior high schools, vocational schools and Islamic senior high schools in South Sumatra.

“I have an important message for all of you — children, parents and officials — that education prepares the nation’s future leaders. Education is about creating a better generation than before,” he said.

“We don’t live in this world without any goals. We should guard how life goes on. All of you, my children, are the guides of the future,” he said.

The Vice President made a similar statement at a meeting at SMKN 3 Pangkal Pinang, Bangka, saying that building character was very important for students.

“A leader’s character determines whether their leadership degrades or not. Leadership is the key. A more competitive and complicated character will create better future generations,” he said.

Unfortunately, character building was often ignored, he said. He said that kind of education was not something found in books, making it difficult to educate children appropriately.

“An educator should prepare future leaders by accurately building up the character of their students,” he said. — JP