TEMPO.CO, Banyuwangi – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Indroyono Soesilo said the government would build 10 marine polytechnics in five years to achieve Indonesia’s goal to become a maritime axis. “Human resources are components that cannot be overlooked,” said Indroyono at Banyuwangi on Friday.
He said local governments were allowed to propose the establishment of a polytechnic as long as they could provide a land plot measuring at least 10 hectares.
The 10 marine polytechnics will be developed in accordance with international standards so that their graduates can compete globally. The government is also preparing 20 of 150 marine vocational schools to have international standards. “Those 20 schools will be selected from Sabang until Merauke,” he said.
He added that the Financial Services Authority (OJK) was also involved to enable diplomas of marine vocational school graduates to be mortgaged to banking. Therefore, the graduates can obtain capital to start a business.
Suseno Sukoyono, the head of human resources development at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, said the government would spend Rp1.5 trillion to establish the 10 polytechnics. “One polytechnic costs Rp150 billion,” he said.
This year, the government will build three polytechnics in Bone, Kupang and Karawang as the first step, while the polytechnic in Banyuwangi will be built in 2016.
IKA NINGTYAS
