Old educational problems never die<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): While Indonesia badly needs skilled workers to
\nenter the competitive global market, the country's education
\nsystem is still grappling with basic old problems, a well-placed
\nofficial conceded yesterday.<\/p>\n
Few truly qualified teachers and a lack of relevance between
\nclassroom theories and the real world of work remain a major
\nproblem, said Rahardi Ramelan, deputy chairperson of the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board.<\/p>\n
There is no way universities can produce qualified graduates
\nunless the basic problems are solved, Rahardi said when
\naddressing a seminar on education.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, he said, the problem is aggravated by the lack
\nof facilities necessary to improve the learning-teaching process.<\/p>\n
\"The effort to improve the quality of university lecturers
\nshould become the highest priority,\" Rahardi told education
\nexperts participating in the two-day seminar titled The
\nManagement of Higher Education: Anticipation of the Year 2020.<\/p>\n
Quoting 1995 statistics, Rahardi said that of the 46,735 full-
\ntime lecturers at state universities, only 13,826, or 29.6
\npercent, of them have doctorates.<\/p>\n
\"Most lecturers, or 70.4 percent of them, only graduated from
\nundergraduate programs,\" Rahardi said in the seminar co-organized
\nby Trisakti University, Indiana University and Malay University.<\/p>\n
Rahardi said Indonesia is facing a serious problem resulting
\nfrom the oversupply of university graduates because the higher
\neducation system does not produce enough graduates with skills
\ndemanded by the business sector.<\/p>\n
Statistics released in 1994 revealed there were 309,150
\nunemployed university graduates, while in 1980 the number stood
\nat 7,540.<\/p>\n
\"The unemployment rate among university graduates is high,\"
\nRahardi said.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he said, universities, especially state ones,
\nneed to raise funds to finance operations without ignoring their
\nsocial functions.<\/p>\n
\"Universities should not financially burden students to
\novercome their financial problems,\" Rahardi said. He suggested
\nuniversities establish partnerships with private businesses to
\nsolve their financial problems.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, the tradition to establish partnerships
\nbetween universities and the private sector is not yet common
\nhere,\" Rahardi said.<\/p>\n
In addition to education, universities should conduct
\nresearch, both for scientific purposes and as a link to
\nindustrial sector, he added. (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/old-educational-problems-never-die-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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