Scout Movement Aims to Educate Millennials: Budi Waseso Says

President Jokowi inaugurates Budi Waseso as Chairperson of Scout Movement National Council on the courtyard of Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (27/12). (Photo by: Oji/Public Relations Division)

Newly-elected chairperson of National Council of the Indonesian Scout Movement (pramuka) Budi Waseso said that he wants to build a better pramuka movement to foster Indonesia’s millennials.

“We can find pramuka nationwide, in all regions, in neighborhood units/community units (RT/RW), as well as in schools,” Budi said after his inauguration as new Chairperson of National Council of the Indonesian Scout Movement for the 2018 – 2023 period in Jakarta, Thursday (27/12).

Budi added he would design work programs related to government programs, which aims to foster Indonesia’s young generation in the future through the movement.

The council will also have deputy chairpersons and divisions in-charge of special fields which relate directly to the relevant ministries/institutions, he said.

Budi, who has taken part in pramuka activities since elementary, junior, and high schools as well as during his service in the police, admitted that pramuka activities were once on hiatus but it did not mean there were no activities. He cited an example of scout activities who were deployed in search and rescue operations and natural disaster-hit areas.

“They work with the local government, the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), or the National SAR Agency to take part in the search and rescue team when natural disasters strike,” Budi said.

Under a Presidential Decree, Budi explained several ministries and institutions will be in charge in the development of pramuka, for example Minister of Agriculture together with Minister of Village and the Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises that will be in-charge of agricultural youth training, or Minister of Defense together with the Polri Chief and the TNI Commander that will be in  charge of issues related to national resilience program.

As for the entrepreneurship training program, it will be carried out by competent people and the training will take place in a national education center in Cibubur, he said.

“The cadres trained will in turn be in charge of supporting our program in the provinces, cities, regencies, sub-districts, villages, and RT/RW,” he said.

Budi went on to say that he would discuss some issues with all newly appointed officials and each division will elaborate and prepare their programs to be discussed in the National Work Plan activities, slated to be held in 26-27 January 2019. “The results will become our guideline to be applied in the central and regional units,” Budi said. (FID/EN)

Translated by: Muhardi

Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas