Student protests and public demonstrations, including sarcastic social media content from netizens, have surfaced as expressions of dissatisfaction with the current government’s performance.
Various policies are perceived as not benefiting the public and have drawn sharp criticism.
Even the budget efficiency measures are seen as off-target, while mass layoffs and weakening macroeconomic indicators continue to raise concern.
Universities are expected to contribute to solving these issues as part of efforts to develop human resources in anticipation of Indonesia Emas 2045 and the demographic bonus in 2030.
These points were highlighted during a special Ramadhan public lecture titled Human Resource Development held online on Tuesday (Mar. 18), organized by the Board of Professors of State Universities with Legal Entity Status (MDGB PTN-BH).
Professor Muhammad Baiquni, Chair of the UGM Board of Professors, stated that various public movements, including the recently popular #IndonesiaGelap campaign, stem from multiple causes, such as vague constitutions and laws, unfair law enforcement, and widespread corruption across almost all levels of government.
He believes universities need to respond to these concerns and play a significant role in addressing societal and national issues to develop strategic solutions for overcoming the national crisis.
“We aim to reignite the nation’s moral values amidst the widespread issue of weak governance, which has led to a decline in public trust,” he stated.
In her remarks, UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia emphasized the urgency of human resource development for the advancement of the nation.
According to her, Indonesia’s education system fully aims to enhance the quality of human resources and create an excellent future generation.
She noted that many contemporary issues are relevant for reflection and could serve as a basis for universities to focus on improving the quality of education, including key areas of human resource development for society.
“It is certainly the vision of higher education to achieve this, focusing on key areas of developing innovative and competitive human resources,” Professor Emilia said.
She added that with the demographic bonus approaching in 2030, the nation must ensure the provision of adequate infrastructure, the management of fair legal institutions, and the creation of new economic activities to allow the younger generation to contribute to national development.
Meanwhile, the Chair of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Dr. Hetifah Sjaifudian, mentioned that quality education not only opens access for all segments of society but also helps shape character, creativity, and critical thinking skills necessary for future development.
She pointed out several educational challenges faced by Indonesia, including disparities in access to education, unequal education quality, high dropout rates, and the relevance of curricula to labor market needs.
“In addition to government efforts, collaboration between universities and industries is crucial to create adequate education by focusing on character and skills development,” she concluded.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Image: Freepik