Citing the example of Central Sulawesi's Morowali District, the minister stated that the downstreaming program implemented in the district had successfully helped Central Sulawesi Province to lower its poverty rate, from 14.7 percent in 2015 to 12.4 percent in 2023.
"According to data, the poverty rate there in 2015 stood at 14.7 percent. The figure then declined to 12.4 percent as per 2023," Pandjaitan said on a video broadcast on his Instagram account @luhut.pandjaitan, as followed in Jakarta on Thursday.
In Morowali District, specifically, the rate of poverty also decreased during the same period, he said.
"We can see that in Morowali, the poverty rate reached 15.8 percent in 2015, but then it was down to 12.3 percent in 2023," he remarked.
He further noted that owing to the downstreaming program, Morowali currently hosts a polytechnic that is focused on the metal industry.
"A polytechnic has been built in Morowali. I think it is a good polytechnic, as we have been inviting competent lecturers from Bandung Institute of Technology and University of Indonesia to teach there and focus on practical skills," he pointed out.
He said that the polytechnic had been sending its students to China to learn to master more advanced technology while noting that the students have been participating in the smelter development projects on Sulawesi Island.
According to the minister, the quality of the polytechnic in Morowali District is just as good as those located on Java Island.
He then emphasized that the quality of education is vital for Indonesia to successfully develop its industries.
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Translator: Benardy F, Tegar Nurfitra Putra
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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