Stepped-up training urged for workers

TANGERANG (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono on Monday called for more education programs for factory workers across the country.

"I want more (factory education programs) like this one to be set up in this country, particularly in areas such as Tangerang," Juwono told The Jakarta Post after inaugurating an education program jointly organized by Nike and its subcontractors here.

Juwono said he did not know whether similar education programs already had been established by other companies in the country.

"There might be some, but this (Nike) school is the first one I've ever visited," said Juwono, who has served as a minister in President B.J. Habibie's Cabinet since May last year.

He called the educational facilities available through the Nike program "extremely extraordinary" for the participating workers.

"The schools' facilities are of course much better than those available at the average school in West Java and Jakarta," Juwono added.

The Nike's factory schools inaugurated on Monday are jointly financed by the world-renowned footwear producer and its four subcontractors here: PT Pratama Abadi Industri, PT Astra Graphia, PT Hardaya Aneka Shoes Industry and PT Nagasakti Parama Shoes Industry.

Some 500 employees from these four subcontractor factories are participating in the education program.

Literacy

Most of the students are working toward earning their junior high school diplomas, while a few others, mostly elderly workers, are taking literacy classes.

At the Pratama factory on Jl. Serpong Raya here, where the inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, 11 teachers from the local education office have been hired for the program.

According to Tony Nava, general manager of Nike Inc. Indonesia, a subsidiary of Nike International, the program is part of the company's commitment to implement a series of corporate responsibility initiatives launched by Nike's chief executive, Philip H. Knight, in May last year for workers at its subcontractor factories in Indonesia.

"Nike believes its assistance (in helping to further the education of some Indonesians) is relevant, particularly during today's tough times," he said.

"We strongly believe education is the key to the success of our workers, as well as their families," said Nava, who worked as a teacher for seven years in the United States.

The factory education program, designed by Nike for its less- educated casual workers, began last year in the factories of three other Nike subcontractors: PT Nikomas, PT Karet Murni Jelita and PT Karet Murni Kencana.

A total of 546 workers from the three subcontractor factories are participating in the program. Seventeen of the enrolled students received their junior high school diplomas during Monday's ceremony.

Nike Indonesia has 11 subcontractors, seven of which have implemented the education program for their workers.

"The other four Nike subcontractor factories will implement the same program early next year," Nava said.

Nike and its local partners received the Literacy Award in September last year from the Indonesian government for their efforts to reduce illiteracy in the country through the factory education program.

According to workers participating in the program, the schools, located at their respective factories, held classes from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. each working day.

"I really enjoy the school and hope one day I can really read and write," said 44-year-old Neni, an employee at Pratama Abadi Industri, who participates in the literacy class.

One of her teachers said each of the participating workers received overtime pay for attending the four-hour class.

"The amount is different, depending upon a worker's status and position," he said.

According to Nava, Nike Indonesia and its 11 subcontractor factories here employ a total of 70,000 workers.

He said the factories produced between 45 million and 55 million pairs of shoes per year, an average of between four million and five million pairs of shoes each month.

"One to 2 percent of our products go to the local market. The rest are shipped to overseas markets, particularly the U.S.," Nava said.

Nike Indonesia has been operating in this country for almost 11 years. (bsr)