UI graduates prefer to work in private firms

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)