"Later, I urge the Ministry of Manpower to direct the community vocational training centers development program in places of extreme poverty," the Vice President said at Darek Nahdlatul Ulama Manhalul Ma'arif Islamic Boarding School in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday.
An increase in the number of training centers should be followed by quality improvement, which, in turn, would positively impact the alumni of the training centers, he added.
The centers should function as spaces where people can re-skill and up-skill.
"Particularly in areas that really need it. Community vocational training centers will be able to create (good) quality workers who can contribute to boosting the local economy and ultimately, push for welfare distribution," he explained.
He also called for the centers’ training programs to be tailored to the needs and potential of the areas they are set up in.
"I heard that up to 2022, 24 vocational training programs have been developed at the community vocational training centers. Hence, I urge for vocational training to be expedited so that it is not only adjusted to the current conditions and needs of the local job market or link and match with the nearby industry, but also created in such a way as to rouse public interest in entrepreneurship," he said.
Moreover, the training centers are expected to become credible and independent training institutions, and places for job seekers to hone their skills.
"In particular, for the students whose Islamic boarding schools already have training centers, I urge for the available facilities and infrastructure to be used optimally," he added.
The Vice President said that he has often held that there are two essential factors, which complement each other and can make for the creation of great human resources: comprehension of religious knowledge and mastery of science and technology.
"Skill in both will play a role in determining the progress of the nation. We are indeed commanded by God to make the earth prosper. Beyond Islamic boarding school's role of creating people who understand religion, since that is the order, (they also have to create) people who make the earth thrive because God created humans from soil and (they) were given the responsibility to make the earth flourish," he said.
The Vice President inaugurated the 2022 Community Vocational Training Centers and launched the Community Vocational Training Centers’ Independence Festival in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday.
His entourage included Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Zulkieflimansyah, and religious scholars.
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Translator: Desca Lidya N, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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