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Govt to increase spending on vocational education
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Vocational school students assemble computer parts during a competition in East Java. (Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta)
T
he government plans to spend more on vocational education to improve the expertise and skills of high school graduates from vocational schools.
Deputy Finance Minister Mardiasmo said in Jakarta on Tuesday that funding for the improvement of vocational education would be part of overall educational expenditure, which was expected to account for about 20 percent of total state spending next year.
No details were immediately available regarding the figure, but this year’s state budget puts education expenditure at Rp 416.1 trillion (US$31.27 billion), 20 percent of state spending.
(Read also: Industry Ministry allocates Rp 650b for vocational training in 2017)
At present, high school graduates face difficulties securing jobs because while they may be prepared to enter university, many of them do not have the chance to undertake higher education.
“At the same time, these students do not have a specific expertise to enter the job market,” Mardiasmo said during a speech at a recent education conference. “Hence, a gap exists between the education sector and the job market.”
In order to promote equality in education and the workforce, the government plans to link education with job market expectations through a “link and match” program to be introduced as part of its equitable economic policy, Mardiasmo said.
Using the allocated budget, the government wants to provide physical infrastructure and quality teachers, improve students’ capacity to learn, and link education with employment opportunities, he added. (ecn) (tas)
