Indonesian Government Considers Broadening Scope of Finance Ministry’s Education Endowment Fund
Bandung, The Gulf Observer: In a strategic move to enhance the impact of the Finance Ministry’s Education Endowment Fund Management Agency (LPDP), the Indonesian government is contemplating an expansion of its endowment fund schemes. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced this initiative during the Leaders’ Offsite Meeting event in Bandung, West Java, on Friday.
The government is actively exploring revisions to the LPDP funding schemes with the aim of broadening their application beyond scholarships to include training activities. Minister Hartarto revealed that President Joko Widodo’s directive emphasized the need to perfect the LPDP system, increasing the scholarship quota and extending its reach beyond education to cover training activities and the tourism sector.
Highlighting the success of the government’s Pre-Employment (Prakerja) Card Program, Minister Hartarto emphasized its role in skill enhancement and capacity building. The program, designed to benefit individuals seeking to improve their skills, provides a diverse range of training courses crucial for developing competency, whether for entrepreneurship or formal employment.
“The Prakerja Card Program has been a success story, offering massive-scale training courses and aiding individuals in securing job positions,” noted Minister Hartarto. He highlighted international recognition, with the program garnering praise from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
Moreover, Minister Hartarto disclosed that Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia have expressed interest in adopting the successful Prakerja Card Program, further exemplifying its impact on skills development and employment opportunities. The government’s commitment to refining LPDP’s system aligns with broader initiatives to empower individuals through education, training, and skill-building programs.
