PGRI Responds to Ministry's Plan to Close Study Programmes: Irrelevant
The Executive Board of the Indonesian Teachers’ Union (PGRI) has responded to the discourse from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) regarding the closure of irrelevant study programmes, one of which is education-related programmes.
PGRI Secretary-General Dudung Abdul Qodir stated that closing education programmes cannot be done without accurate mapping of needs.
He explained that for the past year, PGRI has proposed that new student admissions at higher education institutions consider workforce requirements.
“The approach is to map field needs, what skills are required, what majors to prepare, and the approximate ratios for each major,” Dudung said when contacted on Tuesday (28/4).
He stated that mapping is essential to distinguish which education majors still have good employment prospects and which do not.
However, Dudung reminded that the function of higher education is not only to produce workers but also to generate scientists and academics.
“Higher education is about creating scientists and academics. This is also important. So these two aspects must be aligned, and we will urge the Ministry of Higher Education to map between needs and new student admissions,” he said.
Furthermore, he highlighted the practice of student admissions at several public universities with legal entity status (PTN-BH), which he believes does not consider the sustainability of graduates after completing their education.
According to him, the freedom given to campuses to accept many new students is a factor in the oversupply or excess supply of graduates.
“Private campuses are now struggling with students because PTN-BH or state campuses accept independent pathway students without restraint. This must be given special attention first, do not suddenly close education majors,” he said.
Kemdiktisaintek plans to review to adjust study programmes with industry needs. This is based on the high number of graduates from programmes not absorbed in the workforce.
Acting Secretary-General of Kemdiktisaintek Badri Munir Sukonco said the government will readjust study programmes at universities so that graduates are maximally absorbed.
In addition, irrelevant programmes may be closed.
Badri mentioned one programme considered oversupplied, namely education. He stated that in higher education statistics, social sciences programmes account for about 60 percent, with the largest portion being education/teacher training programmes.
“Our teacher training programmes graduate 490,000 each year. Meanwhile, the need for teacher training graduates is only 20,000,” Badri said.