Education vital in free trade era, Soeharto says
Education vital in free trade era, Soeharto says
MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): Education is crucial to ensure Indonesia's ability to survive in an era of international free competition in the next century, President Soeharto says.
A strong national education system will enhance the country's human resources development, which is a key factor in competition between nations in a free trade era, Soeharto said in Magelang, Central Java, yesterday.
"Countries that are slow to enhance their human resources will not only carry a heavy burden, they will fall behind," he said in opening a two-day seminar to review ways of enhancing Indonesia's human resources development.
The reference to education as the main factor was pertinent with the theme of the seminar, which was organized by the Taruna Nusantara Education Institute, an organization that manages the Taruna Nusantara High School, Indonesia's first "elite school", which is co-sponsored by the Armed Forces.
Soeharto has often addressed the need for Indonesia to prepare to hail the advent of free trade in the beginning of the 21st century, stressing that the country could not but join the global trend. This is the first time, however, that he addressed the issue from the education perspective.
Indonesia has already committed itself to implementing free trade agreements, first with its Southeast Asian neighbors by 2003, and later within the Asia-Pacific community by 2020.
Soeharto said the education sector has been one of Indonesia's main success stories of the last 25 years, one reason why the nation has managed to reach the present stage of development.
"But, in facing the future challenges, we must not be complacent. If we are not serious about human resources development, from an early stage, it is possible that the market shares of some of our export commodities would be grabbed by other countries, who are capable of producing the same commodities with better qualities and at lower prices."
This will have serious consequences for the nation, from falling export revenues, slowing down of the economy and declining state income, to businesses losing money, laying off workers and a declining standard of living, he said. "That's why, in facing the free competition era, we have to be active, constructive and creative."
Describing the practice of grabbing other people's market share as "fair and natural", he said, "We too can do it in accordance with the free trade situation which we are already feeling. For this reason, as a nation, we have to prepare ourselves, so that we can be competitive in such a situation."
The President said human resources development has already been incorporated into the national development agenda, as enacted by the People's Consultative Assembly, in 1993, in its Broad Guidelines of State Policy.
The assembly listed 10 characters, which every Indonesian should possess: having strong faith and practicing the religious teachings, good behavior, being competent, healthy, intelligent, patriotic, disciplined, creative, productive and professional.
The task of forming characters is in the hands of the family, the religious leaders and society leaders. Some of these could be taught and develop through formal and non-formal education institutions, he said.
Soeharto stressed the importance of instilling in people a sense of nationalism, especially among the young people, through the national education curriculum.
"Nationalism doesn't grow by itself. It is the product of deliberation by our national leaders of the vision of the future, cultivated among the people through endless political education.
"Let's not forget, not even for a moment, that even in the economic globalization process, national states remain crucial and cannot be eliminated."
As well as Soeharto, several cabinet ministers and Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung will also address the seminar, which is being attended by about 250 government and military officials, intellectuals and student leaders. (har/emb)