Needs-Based Vocational Education

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Students take part in a Computer-Based National Examination (UNBK) simulation at Paramarta Vocational High School, Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Nov. 6. It is hoped that the activity would serve as mental training for the students and accustom them to taking online-based exams.

The surge in the number of unemployed vocational school graduates in the past year does not necessarily mean a flawed curriculum.

Various factors, both internal and external, have contributed to this surge. Solutions for internal problems include infrastructure repairs and improvements on curricula, teacher quality, laboratory facilities and relevance between students’ interests and study materials. Meanwhile, solutions for external problems include improved engagement of businesses with vocational educational institutions (high schools and polytechnics) and better appreciation of professionals.

Improvements must be made concurrently under the National Education System Law and Presidential Instruction No. 9/2016 on revitalization of vocational high schools. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on August 2017 cited that, out of the nation’s 7.04 million unemployed people, 11.4 percent were vocational school (SMK) graduates, highlighting the nation’s misguided vocational educational practices.

Complaints about vocational educational practices are nothing new -- and neither are the suggested improvements, including the procurement of better lab facilities and the use of corporate employees as lecturers. The discrepancy between the number of SMK graduates in certain fields and labor market needs is also often talked about.

In 2016, the maritime industry needed 3,364,297 SMK graduates, but only 52,219 actual graduates were available. The tourism industry needed 707,600 fresh graduates, while only 82,171 actually graduated from vocational tourism schools. On the other hand, demand for business and management graduates was only 119,255 people, with the number of actual graduates at 348,945.

The problem is all related to the discrepancy between external and internal factors. There is no link and match, which is the main principle that ensures the congruence between vocational education and labor market needs. The state of vocational education is further worsened by national education policies that often neglect vocational education development. Polytechnic education (diploma degrees) often bears the brunt of this.

Vocational education, especially SMK, often lacks recognition and appreciation. The Presidential Instruction needs to be followed up with concrete and strategic steps. The BPS, the Culture and Education Ministry, the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry and affected industries need to sit together and find solutions that benefit all. Improvements should be not only technical but should also recognize existing conditions and find common solutions.

Solutions should not be academic formulations that sound good on paper but are difficult to realize. It should be seen as a common framework and reference. Apart from infrastructure repairs, numerous breakthroughs are also necessary, including enabling corporate employees to serve as lecturers and providing internship as corporate responsibility.

Basic options for SMK revitalization must be realized and supported with various constructive policies, including requiring the government to set a minimum amount of funding, mandating corporations to share responsibility in vocational education development and providing professional SMK graduates with higher income than general education graduates.