Jakarta, Ministry of Education and Culture --- Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud), Nadiem Anwar Makarim, outlined his efforts to achieve the goals of Merdeka Belajar Episode 8: Vocational Schools as Centers of Excellence. By using the 8+i concept, he hopes for comprehensive and in-depth alignment between vocational schools and the workplace, going beyond just signing an MoU.
It is hoped that schools selected in the Center of Excellence Vocational School program can become references and provide guidance to encourage improvements in the quality and performance of surrounding Vocational Schools. "To achieve this vision, harmony between the Center of Excellence Vocational School and the world of work is not only realized through an MoU, but must take place in depth and comprehensively," emphasized Nadiem at the online launch of Merdeka Belajar Episode 8: Center of Excellence Vocational School, in Jakarta, Wednesday (17/3).
The Minister of Education and Culture explained the 8+i Link and Match approach as follows: First, the curriculum is developed collaboratively, strengthening soft skills, hard skills, and work-related character, in line with the needs of the workplace. Second, learning is based on real-world projects (PBL) to ensure strong hard skills, soft skills, and character.
Third, increase the number and role of teachers/instructors from industry and experts from the professional world. "Increase this significantly to a minimum of 50 hours per semester per expertise program," the Minister of Education and Culture urged.
Fourth, a minimum of one semester of field/industrial internship is required. Fifth, for graduates and teachers/instructors, competency certification must align with workplace standards and needs. Sixth, teachers/instructors need to be emphasized to update their technology through regular training.
Seventh, applied research is conducted to support teaching factories based on cases or needs. Eighth, commitment to graduate absorption by the workforce. The "i" represents various potential collaborations with the workforce. These include scholarships and/or civil service bonds, donations of laboratory equipment, and others.
In another section, the Director General of Vocational Education (Dirjen Diksi), Ministry of Education and Culture emphasized that the Center of Excellence Vocational School program, which has been pioneered since 2019, is a strategy implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture to revitalize vocational schools.
"So the difference is that we have now determined 895 SMK PK because it is impossible for all 14,000 (SMK) to immediately become SMK PK, it is more of a rotation. In essence, when these initial 895 achieve a good link and match , good infrastructure strengthening, good practical tools, then it is indeed appropriate for them to have an impact and they become trainers /coaches for other SMKs when they become Centers of Excellence," explained Wikan when responding to concerns about the emergence of a stigma of exclusivity in SMK Centers of Excellence.
Director General Wikan explained that the technical meaning of excellence, in the initial stages, involves implementing linkages and matches , strengthening human resources, and enhancing facilities and infrastructure. He hopes that the stigma of excellence will no longer emphasize favored, exclusive, or superior schools. Rather, it will emphasize Centers of Excellence Vocational Schools (SMK Pusat Eksekutif) as vocational schools tasked with advancing other vocational schools.
"If we wanted to transform all our vocational schools simultaneously (into Centers of Excellence), that would be ideal, but funding is insufficient. Therefore, we are changing our strategy. With this, we hope that Centers of Excellence Vocational Schools will act as accelerators/trainers for other vocational schools in linking and matching," Wikan said.
"One of them, in terms of the facilities and infrastructure at the Center of Excellence Vocational School, they must be willing to allow their tools to be used by teachers at other vocational schools, especially when there are teachers or students who want to use the equipment to improve their productivity competencies," added Wikan, who emphasized the context of the Center of Excellence Vocational School as a "big brother" for other vocational schools.
Furthermore, regarding the curriculum, these 895 vocational schools will implement a curriculum that emphasizes the concept of "Freedom to Learn." In his explanation, Wikan explained that this curriculum will focus on vocational subjects, comprising 70 percent of the curriculum compared to theoretical subjects. Furthermore, there will be a greater emphasis on soft skills and job-readiness character development. Furthermore, the "Freedom to Learn" philosophy is embedded and encompassed throughout all subjects.
Furthermore, project-based learning is implemented to achieve several goals. These include a balance of soft skills aligned with industry needs, industry-recognized competency certification, fieldwork or internships of at least one semester, and active industry involvement, from curriculum development and teaching to internships, to recruitment commitments and the development of applied research.
"Of course, the implementation of this curriculum will be evaluated periodically to improve the curriculum in the coming years," Wikan added.
Wikan stated that all efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Culture to revitalize vocational schools (SMK) ultimately lead to increased student interest, particularly in vocational school students, in being more creative in the learning process. This way, the opportunity to produce graduates who meet industry needs can be achieved.
Therefore, Director General Wikan expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the vocational school revitalization program. "My deepest gratitude to all the principals, teachers, all stakeholder leaders, and all partners who have supported the synergy of collaboration in realizing harmony between vocational and industrial fields through link and match , or even link and super match ," he said.
Wikan hopes that with the transformation of the SMK CoE into a SMK Center of Excellence, 895 vocational schools will be developed into SMK Centers of Excellence. "This will be an accelerator of change in 2021, so that this will be a real and beneficial contribution to the advancement of education in Indonesia and the welfare of the Indonesian people," Wikan concluded.* (Denty A./Aline R.)
It is hoped that schools selected in the Center of Excellence Vocational School program can become references and provide guidance to encourage improvements in the quality and performance of surrounding Vocational Schools. "To achieve this vision, harmony between the Center of Excellence Vocational School and the world of work is not only realized through an MoU, but must take place in depth and comprehensively," emphasized Nadiem at the online launch of Merdeka Belajar Episode 8: Center of Excellence Vocational School, in Jakarta, Wednesday (17/3).
The Minister of Education and Culture explained the 8+i Link and Match approach as follows: First, the curriculum is developed collaboratively, strengthening soft skills, hard skills, and work-related character, in line with the needs of the workplace. Second, learning is based on real-world projects (PBL) to ensure strong hard skills, soft skills, and character.
Third, increase the number and role of teachers/instructors from industry and experts from the professional world. "Increase this significantly to a minimum of 50 hours per semester per expertise program," the Minister of Education and Culture urged.
Fourth, a minimum of one semester of field/industrial internship is required. Fifth, for graduates and teachers/instructors, competency certification must align with workplace standards and needs. Sixth, teachers/instructors need to be emphasized to update their technology through regular training.
Seventh, applied research is conducted to support teaching factories based on cases or needs. Eighth, commitment to graduate absorption by the workforce. The "i" represents various potential collaborations with the workforce. These include scholarships and/or civil service bonds, donations of laboratory equipment, and others.
In another section, the Director General of Vocational Education (Dirjen Diksi), Ministry of Education and Culture emphasized that the Center of Excellence Vocational School program, which has been pioneered since 2019, is a strategy implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture to revitalize vocational schools.
"So the difference is that we have now determined 895 SMK PK because it is impossible for all 14,000 (SMK) to immediately become SMK PK, it is more of a rotation. In essence, when these initial 895 achieve a good link and match , good infrastructure strengthening, good practical tools, then it is indeed appropriate for them to have an impact and they become trainers /coaches for other SMKs when they become Centers of Excellence," explained Wikan when responding to concerns about the emergence of a stigma of exclusivity in SMK Centers of Excellence.
Director General Wikan explained that the technical meaning of excellence, in the initial stages, involves implementing linkages and matches , strengthening human resources, and enhancing facilities and infrastructure. He hopes that the stigma of excellence will no longer emphasize favored, exclusive, or superior schools. Rather, it will emphasize Centers of Excellence Vocational Schools (SMK Pusat Eksekutif) as vocational schools tasked with advancing other vocational schools.
"If we wanted to transform all our vocational schools simultaneously (into Centers of Excellence), that would be ideal, but funding is insufficient. Therefore, we are changing our strategy. With this, we hope that Centers of Excellence Vocational Schools will act as accelerators/trainers for other vocational schools in linking and matching," Wikan said.
"One of them, in terms of the facilities and infrastructure at the Center of Excellence Vocational School, they must be willing to allow their tools to be used by teachers at other vocational schools, especially when there are teachers or students who want to use the equipment to improve their productivity competencies," added Wikan, who emphasized the context of the Center of Excellence Vocational School as a "big brother" for other vocational schools.
Furthermore, regarding the curriculum, these 895 vocational schools will implement a curriculum that emphasizes the concept of "Freedom to Learn." In his explanation, Wikan explained that this curriculum will focus on vocational subjects, comprising 70 percent of the curriculum compared to theoretical subjects. Furthermore, there will be a greater emphasis on soft skills and job-readiness character development. Furthermore, the "Freedom to Learn" philosophy is embedded and encompassed throughout all subjects.
Furthermore, project-based learning is implemented to achieve several goals. These include a balance of soft skills aligned with industry needs, industry-recognized competency certification, fieldwork or internships of at least one semester, and active industry involvement, from curriculum development and teaching to internships, to recruitment commitments and the development of applied research.
"Of course, the implementation of this curriculum will be evaluated periodically to improve the curriculum in the coming years," Wikan added.
Wikan stated that all efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Culture to revitalize vocational schools (SMK) ultimately lead to increased student interest, particularly in vocational school students, in being more creative in the learning process. This way, the opportunity to produce graduates who meet industry needs can be achieved.
Therefore, Director General Wikan expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the vocational school revitalization program. "My deepest gratitude to all the principals, teachers, all stakeholder leaders, and all partners who have supported the synergy of collaboration in realizing harmony between vocational and industrial fields through link and match , or even link and super match ," he said.
Wikan hopes that with the transformation of the SMK CoE into a SMK Center of Excellence, 895 vocational schools will be developed into SMK Centers of Excellence. "This will be an accelerator of change in 2021, so that this will be a real and beneficial contribution to the advancement of education in Indonesia and the welfare of the Indonesian people," Wikan concluded.* (Denty A./Aline R.)
