Wihaji: Job opportunities for special needs graduates must be expanded

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Minister of Population and Family Development and Head of BKKBN Wihaji highlighted the importance of expanding employment opportunities for special needs graduates during a visit to SLB Negeri 2 Jakarta on Monday.

While reviewing the implementation of the Father Escorting Children on the First Day of School movement (GAMAS) at the school, Wihaji said children with special needs possess strengths in certain fields that are needed in the workplace, and with support from parents and teachers, their potential can be optimised.

“Earlier I heard many aspirations from parents that SLB graduates should be able to access broader employment opportunities after finishing senior secondary school. To that end, I will ask a number of entrepreneurs I know to open up job opportunities for people with disabilities, one of whom has already employed more than 200 workers with special needs,” he said.

He noted that there are around 250,000 children with special needs attending formal education institutions in Indonesia. The number of such children in non-formal education is also likely to be considerable; in DKI Jakarta alone, there are approximately 6,000 children with special needs.

Wihaji also expressed his appreciation for the remarkable parents who support children with special needs with extraordinary patience. In addition, the role of teachers is equally important for those children who require guidance in order to optimise their respective talents.

“Currently, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has around 13 SLBs. The facilities at SLB Negeri 2 are already good and capable of giving children with special needs the opportunity to develop. For this reason, I hope that the families of these children will always remain optimistic that their children still have a bright future,” he said.