Stepped-up training urged for workers

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)