West Java to Establish 'Paguron' Schools to Save Traditional Crafts from Extinction

The West Java Provincial Government is preparing to launch specialised learning centres known as ‘Paguston’ for traditional crafts, alongside allocating monthly incentives for masters to save the local artisan profession from the threat of extinction caused by a regeneration crisis.

The Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, revealed this strategic idea after detecting a sharp decline in the number of young people pursuing specific creative industries, such as the art of weaving in Tasikmalaya and Garut, as well as carving, sculpting, painting, and hand-drawn batik across the West Java region.

Through this financial intervention system, craft masters will be tasked with leading non-formal institutions titled Paguron Batik, Paguron Anyaman (Weaving), Paguron Ukir (Carving), and Paguron Lukis (Painting) to transfer their rare expertise directly to the next generation.

Regarding the Sunda Karsa Fest Karya Kreatif Jawa Barat 2026, Dedi noted that, in addition to mitigating the break in the traditional skill chain, this major event—a collaboration between Bank Indonesia (BI) and Dekranasda West Java—serves as an important platform to test the resilience and competitiveness of the real sector in the domestic market.

“This event, organised by BI with Dekranasda West Java Province, is part of evaluating the development of MSMEs, while also promoting them, so that everyone will feel a strong sense of confidence that MSMEs are the most important part of the economic system established in West Java,” he said.

To ensure the even distribution of creative economy growth, Dedi proposed that integrated exhibitions and festivals like the Sunda Karsa Fest should not solely be centred in the provincial capital, but should instead be rolled out periodically across all 27 regencies and cities in West Java.