West Java Government Prepares Future Leaders to Face Demographic Bonus

West Java Regional Secretary Herman Suryatman stated that Indonesia will face a demographic bonus in the next five years. Therefore, the West Java Provincial Government is preparing children for employment and entrepreneurship. “Our children in 2045 will become future leaders, not future burdens,” Herman said. He expressed concern that if the demographic bonus is not managed properly, Indonesia could fall into the middle-income trap. In an effort to prepare future leaders, the management of Sekolah Manusia Unggul (Maung) signed a memorandum of understanding with business actors in West Java to integrate education with industry. This collaboration aims to ensure that school learning meets the needs of the workforce. The agreement also serves as an effort to address various outstanding issues, particularly those related to employment. The signing was attended by 13 vocational high schools and 26 business representatives, including PT Solu Filantropi Teknologi, PT Usaha Adi Sanggoro, Hotel Novotel Bogor, and PT Sepa Coklat Indonesia. Head of the West Java Education Office Purwanto explained that there are 1,123 potential industries in West Java that can support improving the quality of vocational school graduates. Currently, there are 13 Maung vocational schools in West Java offering 99 areas of expertise.