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VP candidates take center stage
Number twoâs debate: Vice presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla (left) speaks at the fourth presidential candidate debate in Jakarta on Sunday, while his rival Hatta Rajasa looks on Sundayâs debate focused on development, human resources, research and science and technology
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span class="inline inline-center">Number two's debate: Vice presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla (left) speaks at the fourth presidential candidate debate in Jakarta on Sunday, while his rival Hatta Rajasa looks on Sunday's debate focused on development, human resources, research and science and technology. JP/DON
Rival vice presidential candidates Hatta Rajasa and Jusuf Kalla squared off on Sunday in the fourth presidential candidate debate, which was held at the Bidakara Hotel in South Jakarta, with both proposing educational reform.
Kalla, who was given the first chance to speak by moderator Dwikorita Karnawati, deputy rector of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, said that, if elected, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo-Kalla ticket, would channel 20 percent of its state budget to education.
'We have enough money for the education sector,' Kalla said, adding that Indonesia was the only country in the world to allocate such a significant amount to education.
Kalla said improvements to education would result in quality human resources as well as science and technology innovation; two factors that would be key to development.
'A lot of countries have become advanced [economies] because of one of these two factors,' Kalla said.
The ticket's campaign for a 'mental revolution' was also touched on, with Kalla saying the country needed a curriculum that could build character.
Character-building education, Kalla said, could be incorporated into existing subjects.
'We can tell stories of our heroes, we can take good examples,' he said, adding that the ticket's 'revolution' had nothing to do with communism.
Many critics had picked up on the use of the word revolution, with some connecting it to the ideas espoused by communists.
One of Kalla's other proposals was the implementation of programs to improve the quality of teachers.
'Teacher certification has been mandated by law and we cannot annul that easily,' Kalla said.
Hatta, the running mate for the Gerindra Party's presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, meanwhile, said that if elected president, the ticket would implement what they called 'inclusive' education, which would guarantee universal access to a 12-year compulsory education system.
'We will provide 12 years mandatory education for all Indonesians,' he said.
Currently, the government provides a nine-years of compulsory education.
Hatta, said that under the administration of Prabowo-Hatta, the government would earmark Rp 10 trillion (US$826 million) annually to fund research at universities.
'The Rp 10 trillion in the next five years will be used to support the growing work of our researchers,' Hatta said.
The former coordinating economic minister, under the administration of outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also pledged that the results from scientific research could be applied to develop the transportation, health and food industries.
Hatta, also said that he wanted to add at least 800,000 teachers across all level of education.
Later in the question-and-answer session, Hatta and Kalla agreed on a number of issues from efforts to prevent human capital flight to tax deductions for companies that funded research.
'The government should provide incentives for local and foreign companies to motivate interest in supporting research,' Hatta said, adding that firms that promoted entrepreneurialism should also be given tax incentives.
Similarly, Kalla said that transfer of technology should not be stymied by tax barriers.
He also proposed that synergy between the government, private companies and educational institutions would help the country catch up with its regional neighbors.
Hatta said that Indonesia should adopt what he called the 'triple helix' concept for the education sector, which linked corporations with education institutions and government policies to facilitate the employment of students upon graduation. (tjs)
