Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo called for improvement in the quality of education, in order to create qualified human resources in the face of global competition.

"Through vocational education and professional certification programs, our students are immediately ready to work after graduation," the president commonly known as Jokowi said in his annual state of the nation address before the Parliament here on Thursday, prior to the 73rd Anniversary of Independence Day.

Further, Jokowi added that the government encourages a connection between expertise taught in various vocational schools and the needs for excellent industrial development skills in each region.

"The government will also open vocational training centers in various Islamic boarding schools as part of improving Indonesia`s human resources expertise," he added.

At the higher education level, the president hopes that Indonesia will have the courage to make various breakthroughs, in order to make its people ready to be competent in the future.

"Universities in Indonesia must dare to break old habits. They have to be brave enough to bring up new study programs that reflect the reality of current and future skills needs," he noted.

The head of state believes that the university`s breakthrough steps will be welcomed by the young generations who are eager to make a leap of progress.

Through the development of human centrists, the president believed that Indonesia would struggle to become a winning nation and be able to face various major challenges, such as the challenges of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, which has begun to change the face of human civilization.

"We must be able to talk about artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and various technological advancements that almost develop every second. Indonesia must adapt quickly. Indonesia cannot be left behind other countries that are competing to fix themselves in the digital era and the changes in human civilization today," the president pointed out.

Reporting by Joko Susilo
Editing by Otniel Tamindael, Sri Haryati

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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