Now in high demand, vocational schools suffer funding constraints
Now in high demand, vocational schools suffer funding constraints
Vocational schools, high in demand but suffering funding
constraints
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
At a time when skilled workers are most needed, vocational
schools, aiming to supply the professional market, find
themselves favored by both students and businesses.
"I always aspired to continue my studies at a vocational
school because it corresponds with my interests and will prepare
me for work," said Erwan Rusdiana, a graduate from a public
vocational school (SMK) in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
With around 800,000 students from 5,070 public and private
vocational schools graduating per year, some 50 percent already
have jobs waiting for them in related industries, a senior
government official said on Monday.
According to the Central Statistics Agency, in 2003, the
number of vocational school graduates working as professional
workers (667,852) outnumbered that of regular high school
graduates (342,387).
"The ones with jobs lined up are from schools that meet the
high standards set by industry associations," Ministry of
National Education's director of vocational education Gatot Hari
Priowirjanto said, adding that ensuring that such standards were
met required adequate training facilities.
Currently, technical schools (1,721), business and management
schools (2,569) as well as tourism schools (110) represent the
three most favored study subjects with an average of 700,000 new
enrollments annually.
"But, there has been declining interest in handicraft and
agricultural studies," Gatot said, which he suggested could be
overcome by opening more market-oriented programs such as on
agricultural business and graphic design.
Despite the reduced enrollment figures in some programs, in
general there has been a steady enrollment increase at vocational
schools. The 667,000 new enrollments in 1997 jumped to 760,000 in
2003.
"Such schools are no longer eyed only by those from the middle
and lower classes," Gatot said. "Since graduates are skilled,
companies appreciate them more than those from college."
He also pointed out that SMK 1 Mundu in Cirebon annually sends
120 to 150 of its graduates to Japan for work experience.
After taking part in an international competency contest in
Helsinki, Finland, last week, it became clear that Indonesian
schools lack attention and funding for the upgrading of
equipment.
"We are as competent as those from Europe, but our tools are
not as good as theirs," said Erwan, a delegate representing
Indonesia in the bricklaying competition.
The ministry's head of competency standardization and
certification Susilowati explained that training equipment at
most schools was bought in the 1980s and was therefore old. "We
also have problems with precision since the tools are rarely
calibrated," she said.
The classic argument of insufficient funding rang true when
the government only channeled 30 percent of this year's proposed
Rp 695 billion (US$73.93 million) for the rehabilitation and
procurement of more than 5,000 schools.
Gatot explained that a thorough revamp of equipment in schools
nationwide would require some Rp 3 trillion. "And that only
covers some 60 percent of schools."
"Local administrations pay very little attention to them and
allocate a similar amount of funds as that for regular high
schools," Gatot said, adding that a vocational school, especially
one specializing in technology, required a lot more as it needed
expensive heavy duty equipment and used an extensive amount of
electricity.
However, a head of a vocational school should also be more
proactive in finding industries to become the school's partner.
"Industries can help with the equipment and benefit from the
supply of skilled workers," he said.(003)