"I am happy if SMK continue to improve the level of their education for students. Vocational schools must become more qualified than high schools," Secretary General of Kemendikbudristek Suharti stated at the launch of the Teaching Factory at the Jakarta 57 Vocational High School on Wednesday.
Suharti noted that vocational teachers must ensure that SMK graduates possess sufficient skills expected to fulfill the requirements in industries and also be able to create jobs.
Suharti later noted that SMK graduates must in a position to ensure good welfare through their skills.
Vocational school principals also have duties as leaders to develop their schools, partner with industry players to offer more experience to students, and recruit qualified teachers too, she added.
"It is also necessary to conduct a correct assessment. This is because the business and industry sector will assess the graduates and not us," Suharti remarked.
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Teaching Factory, organized by Kemendikbudristek, will ensure that vocational students have more experience by offering practice in real work scenarios and not be limited to books only.
"Let us work together to improve the quality of SMK," she noted.
Director General of Vocational Education at Kemendikbudristek Wikan Sakarinto stated that the Teaching Factory was attended by 60 vocational schools, with the number of SMK-submitted proposals reaching 949 schools.
"We also urge SMK to sharpen ideas and have trainings by industries and practitioners as well," Sakarinto stated.
Kemendikbudristek will provide funding in the range of Rp400 million to Rp450 million. As a result, most of the SMKs already have a turnover ranging from Rp3 million to billions of rupiah every month.
"For instance, the Muhammadiyah 1 Sukoharjo Vocational School has succeeded in producing medical devices, with orders from many hospitals," Sakarinto added.
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Translator: Indriani, Resinta Sulistiyanda
Editor: Suharto
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