Vocational education policy 'not serious'

Vocational education policy 'not serious'

JAKARTA (JP): For many people interested and involved in
education, vocational schools and training courses have always
been regarded as inferior to regular junior and senior high
schools.

Harry Darsono, chairman of the Arts and Design Department of
the National Council for Vocational Education, has a different
view.

The education council was jointly established by the Ministry
of Education and Culture and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
with the aim of bridging the gap between vocational education and
industry.

Harry said vocational education is the most effective means
for young people to acquire the specific skills necessary for
employment.

Vocational education tries to bring the education system
directly in line with the changing labor needs of industry and
commerce, explained Harry, who is also a renowned fashion
designer.

"Society and the business world have been changing rapidly.
Now only a few people can expect to do the same work throughout
their lives," he said.

People must become multi-skilled in order to apply themselves
in many areas. They can no longer restrict themselves to one
particular area of expertise.

Today, vocational education and training is supposed to
prepare the entire work force for a future in which change could
be fast and unpredictable.

There are various types of vocational schools focusing on
economics, technical subjects, tourism, housekeeping,
agriculture, craftsmanship, health, food and nutrition, art and
designs and other subjects.

Harry admitted that, at present, vocational schools in
Indonesia cannot cater to all the diverse employment positions in
the real world.

"There is a very wide gap between schools and industry because
the school curriculum is so conventional and rigid, designed to
only meet certain working circumstances," explained Harry.

He said as an example that curriculum at the tourism and hotel
industry vocational schools is appropriate for the hotel industry
of 20 years ago.

Students, he said, are taught how to serve clients and manage
the hotel according to a system no longer used by modern hotels.

"Some of the students were once required to wear tuxedos when
serving clients at a holiday resort. That is ridiculous, but it
happened because the curriculum told them to do so," he added.

In the fashion and design school, students are required to
make clothes using out-of-date patterns. "It is quite pathetic.
When the clothes were ready, nobody wanted to wear them, let
alone buy them," he explained.

In order to keep up with rapid technological change, the
education council is demanding the government make drastic
improvements to vocational school curricula.

Compared with other neighboring countries, such as Malaysia,
Thailand and the Philippines, Indonesia lags behind in fostering
vocational education and training.

"The Indonesian government still only half-heartedly pays
attention to the development of education, especially vocational
schools," he added.

Harry maintained that in the current reform era, it is the
right time to totally reform the curricula of the vocational and
general education system. But admitted that it is really like
moving a mountain. (raw)