Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower has vouched to continually strive to boost the competence of Indonesians from the productive age group to achieve the goal of a demographic bonus, Secretary General Anwar Sanusi stated.

"If it is not managed and given sufficient knowledge capacity, then I believe that the productive age population will not be a blessing, but a kind of disaster, as they would not have adequate skills and knowledge," Sanusi remarked here on Thursday.

The secretary general explained that some 60 percent of Indonesia's total population of 270 million falls in the productive age group. The productive age population is in the age bracket of between 15 and 64 years, he noted.

"Our current manpower has both an opportunity and challenge at the same time. The opportunity is that we are in a momentum called the demographic bonus because our productive age population is extraordinary," he remarked while opening the 2022 Press Tour in Padang, West Sumatra, Wednesday.

Sanusi noted those several people of the productive age should be managed properly by supporting better human resources to have competitive skills.

The secretary general reasoned that if the productive age population is not built well, then it will result in turmoil.

To prevent demographic disasters, the Ministry of Manpower continues to improve the competence of job seekers or candidates through various types of vocational training, both organized by the government and private parties.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had stated that Indonesia only has two years to expedite the development of human resources to capitalize on the demographic bonus during the period from 2030 to 2035.

"Do we dare to change during these two years? Otherwise, we will not be able to optimize the demographic bonus during the 2030–2035 period. We will retard if we do not immediately change," he remarked at an academic event at the Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta City, Central Java, on Friday (March 11). Related news: Demographic bonus presents challenges, opportunities: BKKBN
Related news: Indonesia has two years to expedite HR development: Widodo


Translator: Zubi M, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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