UI graduates prefer to work in private firms

JAKARTA (JP): Dean of the University of Indonesia's School of Economics (FEUI) Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti said yesterday that his school graduates are increasingly interested in working in the private sector rather than government institutions.

"The interest of FEUI graduates to enter the bureaucracy is very low," he told reporters after an alumni gathering celebrating the school's 45th anniversary at Depok, south of Jakarta. In his previous official anniversary speech, Dorodjatun said that the school's graduates normally are absorbed by firms right after graduation.

Dorodjatun noted that graduates prefer the private sector because it offers brighter careers. "The private companies offer more prospective careers because seniority is not significant, which is far different from government institutions which are firmly tied up with seniority issues in their system," he said.

After 45 years, the school has produced Indonesia's finest set of intellectuals and businessmen. In the early years of the New Order, economists from this school masterminded Indonesia's economic scheme. Its alumni traditionally dominate the ministerial cabinets during the Soeharto era, only outnumbered by the military.

Currently there are five FEUI graduates, who still hold ministerial positions, including outspoken Minister of Finance Ma'rie Muhammad and governor of Bank Indonesia Soedradjad Djiwandono. This has earned the school its nickname of "the minister's school".

Dorodjatun also admitted that his school's students and graduates seemed to have become more and more separated from the people. "I think this is because of our close link to the Jakarta society, which sets its orientation to the elite class."

Yesterday's celebration was also attended by economics pundit Widjojo Nitisastro, the school's former dean and one of the masterminds of Indonesia's rapid economic growth.

Widjojo warned the school's scientific community not to become creators of simple handymen. "We must not produce simple handymen. We should create intellectuals," he said.

"Handymen only fulfill their duties without minding if their work is misused or not," the former minister said before the audience of past and present school members. "Intellectuals would not act like that. They would object if their skills were used for things contradicting their conscience."

Complying with Widjojo's views, Dorodjatun observed that today's education is heading for practical applications. "It sometimes forgets its own moral commitment. Remember, you must not use knowledge only as a tool," said Dorodjatun, who was a freshman when Widjojo was the dean of the school.

This year's commemoration was the school's first after it moved from the inner-city Salemba campus in Central Jakarta to the distant but sophisticated Depok campus. The school of economics has the broadest area among the university's 11 schools in Depok. It is also the most sophisticated with the best collection of books and the most reliable academic facilities.

Yesterday Dorodjatun also inaugurated the Makara (the University of Indonesia's symbol) water fountain that adds finesse to the already splashy campus. The fountain was a gift from the school's class of '60.

But FEUI's grandeur was "criticized" by the university's vice rector Asman Budisantoso in his speech. "I admit that FEUI is the wealthiest school in the university. But it has to remember to cross-subsidize other schools which are not as fortunate," he said. (06)