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In the fashion and design school, students are required to make clothes using out-of-date patterns.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)