Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries: Children of Fishermen Dominate Top Vocational Graduates
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has stated that its affirmative education programme for coastal communities is yielding significant results, with the majority of the top graduates from KKP’s vocational education for the 2025/2026 academic year originating from families actively involved in the marine and fisheries sectors.
I Nyoman Radiarta, Head of the Agency for Marine and Fisheries Human Resources Development and Extension, noted that out of the 117 top graduates recognised during the KKP National Vocational Graduation held in Jakarta on 28 July 2026, 101 individuals—approximately 86 per cent—are children of fishermen, fish farmers, processors, fishery product marketers, and salt farmers.
“Equipped with competence, certification, and an entrepreneurial spirit, they are not only ready for employment but are also prepared to become economic drivers in their respective regions,” Nyoman stated in a KKP press release in Jakarta on Friday.
He added that this achievement reflects the KKP’s commitment to providing access to vocational education for families involved in the primary activities of the marine and fisheries sector. The KKP noted that out of a total of 6,269 currently active students in its vocational programmes, 5,398 individuals, or 86.11 per cent, come from families within the marine and fisheries sector.
In total, the KKP graduated 1,853 young vocational talents this year. Nyoman mentioned that 432 of these graduates had already secured employment in both national and international markets prior to their graduation, while others chose to pursue entrepreneurship in aquaculture, processing, and fishery product marketing.
Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, stated that KKP’s vocational education is designed to produce human resources that are competent, possess integrity, and are capable of meeting the development needs of the marine and fisheries sector. He noted that as various government priority programmes in the sector expand, the demand for labour will increase, making vocational education a vital instrument for preparing skilled and adaptive human resources.
“This national graduation serves as tangible proof that KKP’s vocational education does not merely graduate students, but paves the way for a new generation ready to innovate, increase productivity, and provide direct added value to coastal communities,” said Didit.
To further enhance graduate quality, Didit stated that the KKP is developing the Ocean Institute of Indonesia (OII) as a transformation of its higher vocational education institution. This initiative aims to integrate practice-based curricula, industrial professional certifications, and alignment with the needs of the business and industrial worlds.