Cabinet Secretariat Holds FGD on Vocational Education Revitalization

Screen capture of FGD organized by Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Human Development and Culture, Wednesday (14/7)

Cabinet Secretariat through Office of the Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Human Development and Culture virtually held a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) on Evaluation of Vocational Education Revitalization, Wednesday (14/7).

Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Human Development and Culture Yuli Harsono said that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, since the beginning of his term of office in 2014, has paid great attention to improve vocational education.

“Vocational education is one of the sectors that is expected to face future challenges for Indonesia namely demographic bonus, industrial revolution 4.0, as well as a shifting in demographic and socio-economic profiles of global population,” he said.

He also affirmed the Government’s commitment to improve vocational education through the issuance of Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2016 on revitalization of vocational high schools to improve the quality of human resources and boost national competitiveness.

“The Government also revitalizes vocational education and trainings at polytechnics and training centers. Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in 2017 had launched a road map of policies to improve vocational education in Indonesia for 2017-2025 period that includes plans to revitalize vocational education in vocational high schools, polytechnics and training centers,” he said.

The Government, he added, also included vocational education and trainings for industry 4.0 as a strategic priority project in the Medium-Term Development Plan for the period of 2020-2024 and held a number of plenary cabinet meetings to discuss the issue.

“The President gave comprehensive and detailed directives to improve vocational issue, including directives to massively reform vocational education and training through industrial map that must be created by all regions, changing outdated tools used in laboratories and training workshops, and opening new majors in vocational high schools,” he said.

Yuli went on to say that this FGD also aims to evaluate a follow-up to President Jokowi’s directives concerning vocational education and training, the implementation of Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2016, and to draw up recommendation for policies to improve vocational education and training in a systematic, integrated, and sustainable manner.

For the record, the FGD produced a number of outputs, among others:
1. to enhance synergy and coordination both in the Central Government and regional governments to avoid incoordination among stakeholders and overlapping regulation frameworks.
2. to establish a Vocational National Committee by taking into account that Vocational House must be further discussed in a limited meeting to obtain directive from the President.
3. to improve and update the data to formulate an evidence based policy.
4. to create a sustainable and comprehensive financing scheme for vocational education.
5. to disseminate issue regarding Super Deduction Tax before the implementation.
6. to amend Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2016 by regulation that entirely covers vocational high schools, vocational higher educations, and training centers.
7. to make the National Strategy and Road Map on the Implementation of Vocational Policies as references to draw up policies of vocation. Thus, it is deemed necessary to conduct a study to determine a legal basis that is more suitable for the references.
8. to encourage the development of 500 polytechnics, particularly in Special Economic Zones, in order to create competent workforces.
9. to improve output of vocational universities graduates through implementation of fast track program for vocational school graduates to get Diploma 2.
10. to make Link and Match 8+1 program an obligation for Vocational high schools, vocational higher educations, and training centers.(TGH/AIT/UN) (RAS/MUR)