"Human resources are the most important component, not technology. Technology only facilitates human resources. Human resources are the start and end keys for the education transformation envisaged by Merdeka Belajar," he said at an event broadcast on national television here on Friday.
Several initiatives have been taken to improve the quality of human resources, such as ensuring that the leaders of schools have the vision to make changes and innovate, which is what the 'Teachers as Driving Forces' Program is seeking to achieve, he added.
Besides, there is also the Kampus Merdeka (Freedom Campus) Program that is aiming to eradicate barriers between universities and industry as well as within the campus itself, Makarim said.
The Kampus Merdeka requires a massive paradigm shift that needs to be encouraged, he added.
According to the minister, the opportunity for students to study outside their study programs, whether in companies, non-profit organizations, or research projects, would provide another campus for the students to learn for one semester.
He affirmed that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is also encouraging more practitioners to become on-campus lecturers and on-campus teachers and lecturers to seek off-campus experiences starting next year.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is also continuing to expand the scale of the 'Schools as Driving Forces' Program, increase the number of students involved in the Kampus Merdeka, increase certified internship opportunities, independent study projects, and the scope of 'Teachers as Driving Forces' Program, he informed.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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