Minister ties education reform to natural resource sovereignty

Jumat, 9 Januari 2026 06:03 WIB

(221014) -- SINGAPORE, Oct. 14, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Tourists walk along the Marina Bay in Singapore on Oct. 14, 2022. Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry announced on Friday that based on advance estimates, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.4 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2022. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Garut (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti has warned that the nation’s vast natural wealth will remain untapped without a significant upgrade in human capital, urging students to master skills necessary for national economic sovereignty.

Speaking Thursday at a school in West Java, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education addressed a critical paradox in Southeast Asia’s largest economy: while Indonesia is rich in minerals and biodiversity, its human resources often lack the specialized knowledge required to transform these raw assets into high-value national welfare.

“Many natural resources cannot be utilized because we lack the necessary knowledge and skills,” Mu'ti told students at State Junior High School 1 Tarogong Kaler in Garut.

“Without early preparation, the opportunities bestowed by our natural wealth may never be fully realized.”

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The Minister’s remarks come as Indonesia pushes for a "downstreaming" economic policy, which seeks to process raw materials domestically rather than exporting them. This shift requires a workforce that is not only academically proficient but also technically skilled and resilient.

To foster this transformation, Mu'ti introduced a holistic approach to student development.

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“With knowledge, everything becomes easier; with art, everything becomes beautiful; and with good character, everything becomes noble,” Mu'ti concluded, framing education as the essential bridge between Indonesia’s current status and its goal of becoming an advanced global power.