Wihaji: Job opportunities for special needs graduates must be expanded

Minister of Population and Family Development (Mendukbangga)/Head of BKKBN Wihaji emphasised the importance of expanding job opportunities for graduates with special needs during a visit to SLB Negeri 2 Jakarta on Monday. While reviewing the implementation of the ‘Father Takes Child to School on the First Day’ (GAMAS) programme at the school, Wihaji stated that children with special needs possess strengths in certain areas required by the workforce, and with support from parents and teachers, their potential can be optimised. “Earlier, I heard many aspirations from parents hoping that SLB graduates could obtain wider employment opportunities after finishing senior high school. To that end, I will ask a number of business owners I know to open up job opportunities for persons with disabilities, one of whom already employs more than 200 workers with special needs,” he said. He noted that there are approximately 250,000 children with special needs attending formal education units in Indonesia. The number of children with special needs in non-formal education is likely also quite large, with around 6,000 such children in DKI Jakarta alone. Wihaji also expressed appreciation for the remarkable parents who have accompanied their children with special needs with extraordinary patience. Furthermore, the role of teachers is no less important for those requiring support 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 providing opportunities for children with special needs to develop. For this reason, I hope that the families of these children always remain optimistic that their children still have a bright future,” he said.