IDF 2019: Exploring Innovative Ideas to Improve HR Quality

Ulfah Alifia, a researcher from The SMERU Research Institute, at the Ideas & Innovation Marketplace Session: Co-creating and Collaborating.

Based on employment data of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) released in February 2019, the Indonesian workforce is still dominated by the workforce graduating from elementary school (SD), which is 24.1 percent. This motivated the government to formulate policies that encourage efforts to improve the quality of Indonesian human capital.

Through Indonesia Development Forum (IDF) 2019, the Ministry of National Development Planning / National Development Planning Agency (Ministry of PPN / Bappenas) explored innovative ideas related to the issue in the discussions under the main theme "Mission Possible: Seizing the Opportunities of Future Work to Drive Inclusive Growth".

Improving the quality of human resources starts from paying attention to basic service rights, such as access to health facilities and labor guarantees through social protection programs such as the BPJS (Social Insurance Administration Organisation) Employment. One of the best practices was presented by Dr. Yusuf Nugraha through a case study of a free medical treatment program offered in exchange with 10 used plastic bottles.

"This program arose from my concern to see that our people who still live in poverty, in a place where hygiene and health service were of poor quality. Through this program, we are working with collectors and until now we have managed to collect 14,000 used bottles," explained Dr. Yusuf.

Other best practices include what Agen Perisai did to meet with community members to invite them to be informal recruiting agents to increase the number of members of BPJS Employment.

"The challenges we faced include the mindset of people who feel reluctant and skeptical to pay health insurance and the lack of information about the importance of BPJS employment. Therefore, I was motivated to educate the public about the importance of BPJS Employment through Agen Perisai. As an agent, I do extension work on behalf of the government," said the initiator of Agen Perisai, Bernadetta Tri Handayani.

Fixing Education to Improve the Quality of Human Resources

Director of Solve Education and Development, Talitha Amalia shared some good practices in helping provide access to underprivileged youth and people with disabilities to practical education and employment opportunities by building connections utilizing technology.

Meanwhile, Andri Rizki Putra, Founder of the Leaders of the Nation's Foundation (YPAB) spoke about equality in non-formal education.

"Initially there was a rejection and a lot of criticism from YPAB's targets. We respond to criticism, stating that we don't have funds but we have goals. We do not only pursue diplomas because the transfer of knowledge takes time," he said. 

According to Andri, integrity and honesty will create quality students who in the future will become good decision makers.

"What measures our success, as reflected in our tagline is that we dream a responsible dream. Even when they have a diploma, will they be able to find a job?" Andri added in the Innovate Improving The Quality of Human Capital Session.

 Meanwhile, in the Innovate-Accelerating Structural Transformation Session, Putri Alam, Head of Public Policy and Government Relations of Google Indonesia underlined the importance of boosting the problem-solving ability among Indonesian HR. Putri assessed that the government must embrace all stakeholders.

"There are too many problems that Indonesia has, therefore education must teach computational skills to support problem solving," Putri said.

Related to education, we need to understand that teachers are the key players in this field. Ulfah Alifia, a researcher from The SMERU Research Institute, spoke about the Teacher Professional Education Program at the Ideas & Innovation Marketplace Session: Co-creating and Collaborating. She explained about a one year teacher professional development program, which welcomes both graduates with bachelor degree in educational and non-education majors. She recommends this program for all teachers. As a bonus, they will get a certificate.

"This program was created by the government in the hope of being able to overcome educational problems such as the unequal distribution of teachers and the quality of teachers that are below government standards," she said. 

Mohammad Fahmi, Lecturer and Researcher at the Department of Economics, Padjadjaran University in the Imagine Session - Improving the quality of Human Capital said that several factors had succeeded in encouraging Indonesia to improve the quality of education. First, the 1945 Constitution Amendments to decentralize government spending on education. Second, School Operational Assistance (BOS) which allows schools to manage their own autonomy. 

"Third, the Indonesia Pintar program that enables the poor to attend school without having to think about the costs," he said.

He also said the zoning program was one of the government's efforts to improve the quality of education, not merely eliminating favorite schools. Indirectly, this also aims to distribute good quality teachers to schools that are of low quality.

The results of IDF 2019 discussion will be taken into consideration by the Government in preparing the employment road map, so that the increase in labor productivity can be truly realized. The government will commit to support companies and individuals when they have initiatives related to the development of Indonesian human resources.

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