Local human resources still lacking

Local human resources still lacking

JAKARTA (JP): The start of the free trade era in 2003 is just
around the corner, but Indonesia's human resources are still ill-
prepared for it, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono
Sudarsono lamented yesterday.

Speaking at a seminar on human resources development at the
University of Indonesia campus in Depok, West Java, Juwono
described how the country still had to work long and hard to
improve its education system and produce quality human resources
on a par with other countries'.

He pointed out how most private universities emphasized
producing graduates with practical skills to meet public demands
for quick and marketable diplomas. The approach helped the
learning institutions survive but lacked broader perspectives and
vision, he said.

"Human resources aren't a matter of fact, they are needed by
industries but we're talking about (the importance of) quality
(human resources)," Juwono said.

Ideally, 45 percent of all 76 state-run universities and 25
percent of 1,228 private universities should focus on engineering
and technology, he said. He did not give the existing statistics.

Education ministry data compiled in 1996 said there were
47,000 state-owned university lecturers and 9,000 private
university lecturers. The universities are predicted to have
graduated 5.5 million students by 2020.

Juwono said 60 percent of the 202 million population were aged
between 15 and 29 years, and there were still chances to develop
better higher learning institutions.

When asked if changes in the curriculum could be the answer,
Juwono said the ministry had set priorities regarding problems to
be tackled.

"Problems in education are abundant and we'll settle them one
by one, step by step, and carefully. Don't rush, I'm afraid
immature policies will only result in more damage to our precious
human resources," he said.

In facing the approaching free trade era, Indonesia also
needed to encourage mutually beneficial links between industry
and education institutions, Juwono said, adding that research
centers should be involved as well.

University of Indonesia rector Asman Boedisantoso Ranakusuma
concurred with Juwono, saying that improved technology and
engineering skills would give the country a competitive advantage
in the future. (emf)