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Education must prepare students for employment
The national education system needs to move away from its emphasis on theory and focus more on providing practical skills for students, according to industry and trade representatives
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he national education system needs to move away from its emphasis on theory and focus more on providing practical skills for students, according to industry and trade representatives.
The secretary-general of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), Suryadi Sasmita, said that tertiary education was still too academic and did not equip graduates with the relevant skills for the workplace.
According to Suryadi, overseas education provides students the opportunity to enhance their problem-solving skills.
In contrast, the Indonesian system champions theoretical instruction.
'No wonder the system doesn't match up to industry requirements. Graduates have not been equipped with the skills to tackle problems,' Suryadi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Suryadi also said that the higher education system was too general and that there was a lack of specialized schools providing targeted education.
'Foreign education is more specific. Once someone enters a certain field, they tackle all the issues from A to Z,' said Suryadi, a member of the National Tripartite Manpower Section, adding that such specialized education was the reason foreigners were often preferred over local talent.
Suryadi expressed concern over the issue of linking higher education to industry demand, and offered one concrete solution.
'The Education and Culture Ministry should approach professionals and ask them about their requirements,' he said.
Furthermore, he said, the education sector should look to emulate the kind of training that companies like Astra or Citibank give to entry-level employees.
'It is because people are left to their own devices that they don't know how to learn.'
According to Suryadi, education officials should visit companies in the same vein as inactive Jakarta Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's blusukan (impromptu visits).
When asked about the chances that local graduates have in the lead-up to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Suryadi said that there was still hope.
'Foreigners, like the Japanese, rely on teamwork. If they were pitted one-on-one against an Indonesian, we would surely win,' Suryadi said. If, on the other hand, the two competed in teams, Indonesians would surely lose because of a tendency to not share knowledge, he implied.
'Indonesians are all about ego. We have to change that. This is what I think Jokowi meant with his mental revolution,' the steel magnate said.
Suryadi said that there was another flaw in the education system; graduates were not taught to adapt to different systems.
He recommended mandatory apprenticeships in every field of study, to ease students into the workforce.
Furthermore, Suryadi said that apprenticeships should also match the field of study, and that state-owned enterprises should provide such opportunities. 'If you look to the private sector, they only think of efficiency,' he warned.
According to Suryadi, the first to bear the brunt of the AEC's effect will be those in middle management positions.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of the AEC in 2015, the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry has given special attention to the education and vocational training system so as to improve the competence and competitiveness of Indonesia's workforce.
'The education and training systems should link up to improve job competence so as to answer the needs of the labor market, expanding employment opportunities and fostering new entrepreneurs,' said Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar, in a written address on Sunday, June 1.
On the minister's behalf, Khairul Anwar, the director general for training and productivity, said that the two systems would be able to develop highly competent human resources with the skills, professionalism and competences relevant to the needs of the workforce.
'The AEC is on the horizon, and as the nation with the largest potential of human and natural resources in the ASEAN region, this should be viewed as an opportunity to improve the welfare of the people,' said Khairul, as quoted in a press release on the ministry's website.
According to Khairul, one key factor the government needed to address was to empower all educational institutions in producing a competent and professional workforce.
The director general said that the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry would be developing Indonesian Working Competency Standards (SKKNI) together with all government sectors.
The SKKNI functions as a reference in developing education and training programs and a certification for working skills, as well as helping with the recruitment of employees. (tjs)
