REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SOLO -- The Indonesian government has allocated Rp5.3 trillion in funds for the revitalization of vocational schools in the country.

"The fund allocation will be used to revitalize 219 vocational schools nationwide," Director General of Elementary and Secondary Education of the Education and Culture Ministry, Hamid Muhammad said after inaugurating a vocational school revitalization program at the Manahan Sports Stadium here on Wednesday.

Hamid said Rp3.4 trillion of the fund allocations is derived from the Education and Culture Ministry and Rp1.9 trillion from each provincial governments.

The revitalization program focuses on five aspects, including education, curriculum, teachers, learning facilities, and cooperation with industries, he said.

"The most important aspect is related to the quality of vocational school graduates who are ready to work," he said.

He expressed the hope that the curricula of vocational schools will always be upgraded and adjusted to demand from industries. Likewise, the quality of teachers must always be improved.

"As we know, we still run short of vocational school teachers. We hope the shortage of some 91 thousand vocational school teachers could be met in 2019," he said.

In addition, vocational schools should also have good learning facilities, including practice rooms, he said.

Hamid said he continues to encourage all vocational schools to establish partnership with industries so that they will have communication on job opportunities.

He said many companies and industries have complained about the quality of vocational school graduates. They need to improve their skills in order to pass a competency and certification test.

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