Garuda School and People's School Policies Boost Technology Education

Member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Abdul Fikri Faqih, assessed that the People's School and Garuda School policies initiated by President Prabowo Subianto were very specific visions, namely as an effort to catch up with the nation and encourage technological education.

According to him, developed countries such as the United States and China already have technological industry advantages. Proof of this, he said, many electric vehicles produced by those countries are now flooding Jakarta's streets.

"Other countries now, America or China, are amazing. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese children are in technology and engineering schools. So get ready, so that children later can't play games anymore," said Abdul as quoted by Antara in Jakarta, Sunday.

Amid public doubts regarding the new government's focus on the defense sector, he emphasized that human resource development (HRD) remains a priority agenda, even though the approach is different from the previous government.

With this program, the President wants to change the orientation of Indonesian education so that it emphasizes the mastery of applied technology.

Abdul explained that the People's School was designed specifically for the pre-prosperous community, with cross-ministerial coordination and a social assistance approach.

"The leading sector of the People's School is not the Ministry of Social Affairs, but the Ministry of Social Affairs. Why? Because the approach is poverty," he said.

Meanwhile, the Garuda School is being prepared as an incubator for talented students to be prepared to enter world-class universities, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

"Garuda School is at the same level as SLTA, SMA, or SMK, connected to universities, both at home and abroad, so that smart children can connect directly to higher education," he said.

Abdul invited the public not only to criticize the government, but also to collaborate to advance national education.