Demographic study and population projection calculation show that Indonesia will experience demographic bonus marked by the increase of productive age population proportion for up to 20 years ahead. However, the growth of productive age population quantity cannot be considered as a bonus if it is not followed by the growth of community’s quality. In order to encourage the increase of quality, one of the ways is through development at family level.
“It requires a transformation through family because family development is essential in influencing the quality of community,” said Deputy of Community Control, National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), Dr. Wendy Hartanto, MA during the general lecture themed Revitalization of Population Policy in Indonesia on Tuesday (12/9) at Auditorium of Faculty of Geography UGM.
Wendy said the government’s success in controlling the rate of population growth also needs to be balanced with strategy to improve the quality of the population. Therefore, National Population and Family Planning Agency holds various family development programs which aim to prepare qualified human resources who are able to become the backbone of national development in the future.
“Currently, we have been in bonus demographic position, the question is the productive age population is productive or not. The purpose is not only to restrain the quantity of children, but also teaching the children as well as maintaining their health, thus they can grow into qualified people,” he added.
In front of the students, Wendy said Indonesia has been entering the bonus demographic period due to the significant decrease of birth rate since 1970s that causes the current productive population is twice of the unproductive ones. This condition generally is considered as an economic profit due to the decline of dependency ratio.
However, Wendy said there are several demographic bonus requirements that have to be fulfilled, including big supply of qualified workforces who can increase the income and prosperity of the community, the increase of productive investment, as well as investment policy for the state-owned and private-owned enterprises that can open many job opportunities. In addition, he said it requires more educated women who can enter job market and help increase their family income.
Wendy emphasized this demographic condition will only run for a certain period and end at a certain time. Therefore, according to Wendy, the government has to implement policies that are suitable to the population structural alteration which is potential to become a profit or loss for the nation. In a short period, this condition can be utilized by increasing production and consumption, while for a longer period, Indonesia can utilize the increase of assets accumulation which can lead to a sustainable productive age population investment.