Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) is planning to extend the duration of vocational high school (SMK) programs from three to four years to better equip graduates for employment abroad.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti stated that the additional year would apply to top-tier vocational schools, known as SMK PK (Pusat Keunggulan) or “Centers of Excellence.”
“Our goal is to produce SMK graduates who are ready to work overseas. We plan to redesign selected SMKs, particularly those with the PK ranking, to have a longer study duration,” Mu’ti said in a statement broadcast on Kemendikdasmen’s official YouTube channel.
“SMKs will adopt a four-year program, with the final year dedicated to preparing students for overseas employment,” he added.
Government Collaboration to Support Training
To implement this initiative, Kemendikdasmen will collaborate with the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Migrant Worker Protection.
Mu’ti emphasized that this partnership would ensure that students from leading SMKs receive direct training at Balai Latihan Kerja (BLK), or vocational training centers, to enhance their skills before entering the job market.
Under the new structure, SMK students will obtain certification after three years of study, followed by specialized training at BLK centers.
Mu’ti expressed hope that this program would reduce Indonesia’s unemployment rate by aligning vocational education with industry and labor market demands.
“The aim is to enhance students’ skills in their respective fields while ensuring that SMK graduates obtain certifications that match their training programs,” he said.
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Center for Excellence in Vocational Education
According to the official website of the Ministry of Education’s Vocational Division, SMK PK is an advanced program building upon previous initiatives such as the SMK Center of Excellence (CoE) and the Revitalization of SMKs.
The program focuses on four key sectors:
- Machinery and construction
- Creative economy
- Hospitality and care services
- Other priority industries, including international collaboration, special economic zones, maritime, and agriculture.
SMK PK schools also provide training for principals and vocational teachers, updated curricula based on a new learning paradigm, and school digitalization.
The program aims to establish SMK PK institutions as reference schools and quality hubs. Improving the performance of vocational school in Indonesia while ensuring that graduates meet industry and labor market demands, domestic and abroad.
(Raidi/Agung)
