Wikan Sakarinto Ph.D., as the former Dean of UGM Vocational School, was inaugurated as Director General (Dirjen) of Vocational School Education of the Republic Indonesia Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud).
Nadiem Anwar Makarim, as the Minister of Education and Culture, legitimized the inauguration online on Friday (8/5) in the Ministry of Education and Culture Officials and Members of the Film Censorship Institute for the period 2020-2024.
In his speech, Nadiem said that Indonesian human education must adjust to the current era and pay careful attention to education actors. In this case, educational actors must be seen as subjects, not objects. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Culture gives education and culture people the freedom to create, innovate, and engage in elevating education and Indonesian culture.
"This is a form of challenge and an influential motivation for independent learning that works effectively in the Indonesian education system. We highly hope that the afresh appointed officials can directly coordinate internally and adjust to their responsibilities according to the current conditions. Also, be creative and innovative in response to various challenges, especially in learning freedom," he explained.
Meanwhile, throughout WhatsApp, Wikan Sakarinto admitted that holding a new mandate at the Ministry of Education and Culture is challenging. This condition is due to the status of vocational education in Indonesia still has many challenges ahead.
"There should be actions to accomplish, structuralize, and sustain the link and match in the world of education, business, and industry (DUDI) perfectly to make powerful vocations that might strengthen Indonesia," he explained.
In his remarks, he said that according to the direction of the Minister of Education and Culture, vocational education, including a three-year vocational middle school (SMK), a vocational school in higher education, and skills training institutions, must have a solid synergy with industry and the world of business and profession especially for the link and match itself. This concept has been initiated and attempted for a long time to be realized in Indonesia. Not a few
three-year vocational middle school (SMK) and vocational campuses have arranged it or collaborated with the industry.
"Still, the Link and Match should not only be finished by MoU. In principle, it must be truly deep and long-term and profit all parties," he explained.
Link and Match, among others, are shown by compiling a curriculum according to the needs of industry or the world of business and profession, also responding to the needs of future skills and competencies. An internship program or industrial work practice for at least one semester is jointly managed very well and conceptually and intensively supported by guest lecturers or practitioners who teach at SMK and vocational campuses.
On the other hand, vocational school teachers, vocational campus lecturers must have competency certification recognized by industry and the world of work. Furthermore, the industry recognizes competency certification for SMK and vocational higher education graduates when starting their business and professional careers. The industry must also be committed to absorbing vocational education graduates, with reward and good career schemes.
This link and Match hopefully is able to profit all parties. Throughout this concept, the industry will benefit from the increased quality of vocational school graduates who are more fitted to their needs. Meanwhile, industry entering schools and campuses will faster make students comprehend the world of business and profession.
"So, let's all, the world of education and DUDI, together we prepare or create superior human resources," he said.
Meanwhile, human resources for educators and vocational school managers must make changes, strengthen, innovate according to link and match points, and be adaptive to elucidate the challenges and character of future competencies.
Not only that, but the vocational school must also be able to collaborate with academic and professional education. Hopefully, it can produce applied research results that subdue research into real products, patents, and are published on the applied publication platform.
"Last but by no means least, a vocational school must be able to produce great entrepreneurs who will later become pillars of the nation's important assets," he concluded.
Author: Ika
Translator: Natasa A