Education need top priority: Hamzah<\/p>\n
Antara, Madiun, East Java<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz has called on all parties to give
\npriority to the education sector to help improve the development
\nof human resources, which has been ignored over the last several
\nyears.<\/p>\n
\"In the past, the education sector was not considered an
\ninvestment,\" he said at an informal meeting with members of the
\nDarussalam Islamic Boarding School in Gontor, Ponorogo, East
\nJava, on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Vice President also used the occasion to dedicate the
\nschool's mosque.<\/p>\n
He further called on all governors, regents and mayors to
\nalso give priority to education, and if necessary to free
\nelementary school pupils and junior high school students from
\npaying tuition.<\/p>\n
\"Give priority to the education sector in the regions,\" he
\nsaid, adding that education was formerly considered an expense.<\/p>\n
Education has not been considered an investment with a
\nmultiplying effect on the future, he said.<\/p>\n
He cited Japan as an example, saying that due to its good
\nhuman resources, the country managed to climb quickly out of its
\nmisery after the United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
\n1945.<\/p>\n
He said in terms of education Indonesia ranked 102nd among 162
\ncountries, one level below Vietnam and far below Malaysia, which
\nis at the 58th position.<\/p>\n
\"In fact, many Malaysians used to study here. I am afraid if
\neducation does not get priority, Indonesians will only become
\nspectators in the globalization era,\" he added.<\/p>\n
The Vice President also expressed concern over the difficulty
\nof improving education as Indonesia previously had a per capita
\nincome of US$1,000 before the economic crisis hit in 1997. At
\npresent, per capita income is between $400 and $600.<\/p>\n
He also expressed concern over the rise in unemployment, which
\nstands at 40 million, with school dropouts totaling six million
\nto eight million. The number of those living below the poverty
\nline has also increased from 25 million to 40 million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-need-top-priority-hamzah-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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