Appreciating the Government’s Commitment to Improving the Quality of Human Resources in Papua
By : Maruna Isy )*
The government continues to make serious commitments to improve the quality of Human Resources (HR) of the Papuan people so that they can compete with other regions. Various programs continue to be accelerated and encouraged in collaboration with the private sector. This is because Papua is a very potential area surrounded by natural wealth and abundant mining products. Therefore, to advance the Papua region, its natural resources must be managed properly and correctly. Apart from natural resources, the quality of human resources (HR) also needs to be improved, because the Papuan people will be the ones who will process natural products and market them.
The Acting Governor of West Papua, Paulus Waterpau, said that focus and commitment in improving the quality of Papuan human resources will increase regional competitiveness in the future. He invited cooperation between regions that are members of the Indonesian Asymmetric Decentralization Forum (FORDASI) to accelerate development throughout Papua within the framework of special autonomy (Otsus). He invited all regional heads, both governors and regents/mayors in the six provinces in Papua to make the best use of the forum for equitable development.
According to him, six provinces in Papua, namely Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Mountain Papua, Central Papua and Southwest Papua can adopt program planning that has been implemented by three other provinces (DI Yogyakarta, DKI Jakarta and Aceh). For example, planning programs for developing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), improving the quality of education, health and infrastructure in order to realize the welfare of the Papuan people.
He said that provincial and district/city governments throughout Papua are committed to renewing government governance through the concept of inter-regional cooperation which has features and specialties. Collaborative synergy is the key to success in developing the quality of human resources (HR) to increase the competitiveness of the Papuan people in the future.
The Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, KH Ma’ruf Amin, said he would continue to encourage increased human resource competency and productivity of the productive age population in Papua. This step is considered very important to encourage success in development in Papua.
The government will also encourage various programs related to employment. One of the steps taken is to increase competency and productivity through vocational training for the Papuan people.
This vocational program was held as part of efforts to increase human resource capacity, which is the government’s main focus in realizing the ideals of a more advanced Indonesia. Therefore, the Papuan people must increase the competence and productivity of the productive age population in order to contribute to economic growth in Papua.
In efforts to revitalize education, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin explained several strategies that had been planned by the government. One of them is encouraging the transformation of vocational education and training from upstream to downstream. Thus, the focus is not only on theoretical aspects, but also on practical applications in the real world, strengthening links and matches between educational and vocational training institutions and the industrial sector, as well as transforming Job Training Centers (BLK) by collaborating with various stakeholders who provide education and vocational training.
Meanwhile, the study director of the Center for Public Policy Studies of the Indonesian Government (Puskappi), Bobby Darmanto, said that the special autonomy fund had developed the mindset of the Papuan people to have the ability to compete with other communities and even the international community.
Apart from that, many Papuan students receive study scholarships from the Special Autonomy funds. Then the Papuan youth who succeeded in entering the police service and the army, in terms of education costs, came from special autonomy funds. Therefore, the Papuan people must not be consumed by the political agitations of counter-government groups who reject special autonomy. Political agitations can only be fought with correct data and information that is adequately accessible to the public.
Papuan youth must contribute to human resource development. The synergy of collaboration and participation of teenagers and youth must be encouraged to accelerate human resource development in Papua. Papuan youth are also asked to participate in various issues in their environment, such as issues of education, health, gender and discrimination, employment and leadership. To achieve quality Papuan human resources requires cooperation from various parties, especially the involvement of Papuan youth. Because the formation of quality human resources must start early. Quality human resources play an important role in preparing for the demographic bonus period which will contribute to the economy, politics and increasing the nation’s welfare.
Therefore, the community and all parties need to support the government’s commitment to improving the quality of human resources in Papua. The people realized that massive development was being carried out for good purposes and for their progress. With integration and cooperation, the development of health, education and administrative infrastructure will run well and optimally.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Medan
