New Ways for Young People to Learn to Survive in a Competitive Era in the Middle of the Education Gap

Jakarta - The education gap in Indonesia is still a big homework, especially when it is associated with the readiness of the younger generation to face rapid economic changes. On the one hand, access to information is getting wider.

On the other hand, not all students get the same opportunity to hone practical skills, leadership, and the courage to make decisions. In fact, in the next few years Indonesia will enter the peak of the demographic bonus period when the majority of the population is at the productive age which can be a golden opportunity as well as a risk if not managed properly.

Based on the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) projection, in the 2030-2040 period, more than 60 percent of Indonesia's population is aged 15-64 years. This composition has the potential to drive economic growth, provided that the quality of human resources is adequate.

One of the challenges that emerged is the low rate of entrepreneurship. Data from the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs shows that the national entrepreneurship figure is still in the range of 3.47 percent, while to reach a developed country it needs around 12 percent. This gap shows that there are still limited new business actors born from the younger generation.

In this context, a number of educational institutions have begun to try a more applicable learning approach. Since its inception in 1996, the HighScope Indonesia School (SHI) through the Research & Development for Advancement (Redea) Institute has developed a learning model based on real-life simulations. Students not only learn theory, but are also trained to make decisions and understand their consequences.

At the elementary school to junior high school level, students participate in the annual Conscious Business Day, where they learn to design and run a simple business process. Meanwhile, at the high school and vocational high school levels, entrepreneurship learning is expanded through the Virtual Company Indonesia (VCI) program, which is a company simulation that involves students in planning to presenting a business plan.

This year, the VCI program was attended by a number of schools, including SMKN 18 Jakarta, SMKN 20 Jakarta, SMKN 43 Jakarta, SMKN 51 Jakarta, as well as HighScope Indonesia High Schools in Bali, Denpasar, and TB Simatupang. The series of activities began with the Business Plan Competition on 28-29 January 2026 and continued to the final round. In this event, students presented business ideas in front of a jury consisting of industry practitioners.

"The biggest challenge in education today is not about the lack of information, but the lack of implementation. Many are used to looking for one 'correct' answer, even though the real world requires courage to make decisions in the midst of uncertainty. This is where the important role of Redea Institute as a bridge of connection," explained Founder & CEO of Redea Institute, Antarina S.F. Amir.

Through VCI, students do not just absorb theory, but plunge directly into the dynamics of business decision-making. You have broken the old cycle and stepped beyond the limits of textbooks.

The Head of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Education Office, Nahdiana, also emphasized the importance of competitive experience for students.

"Research from the University of Arizona shows that students who are active in business competitions have three times more chances to succeed in building a business and earning higher incomes," he said.

He added that this kind of competition is in line with the agenda for the transformation of vocational education in Jakarta which emphasizes collaboration with the industrial world.

In terms of assessment, the jury board saw the development of business perspectives among students. Syukriyatun Ni'amah, Founder & CEO of Robries, said, "Some of the business ideas presented today raise themes that are very relevant to Robries' vision of sustainability and ESG. The innovation is extraordinary, I only found out that palm oil can be processed into fabric products through their creative hands," he explained.

Erwin Octavia, Founder of Makeblock Indonesia, also appreciated the readiness of the participants. According to him, this event opened the eyes of many people, because high school and vocational school students were able to formulate business plans that were so comprehensive and quality.

"They not only have ideas, but really master the presentation material very maturely," he said.

Meanwhile, Jacky Mussry, Vice Chancellor of the MarkPlus Institute, sees optimism from the business orientation of the students. These children are considered to give us hope.

The orientation of the younger generation should indeed lead to ESG, Sustainability, to Social Movement, and these values have been integrated (embedded) in their business models from an early age.

The participants themselves felt the direct impact of the experience. Oka, a student at SMKN 20 Jakarta who served as CEO of his virtual company, said, "This event is amazing and very challenging. We really struggled from scratch. After participating in this program since last year, now when I am the CEO, I feel the real leadership experience. VCI has helped me a lot in exploring my potential that has not been honed. "

The same was conveyed by Keyza, also from SMKN 20. "This is an unforgettable experience. I learned a lot, from building a business model to processing input from the jury. All of this knowledge is very applicable and I will definitely apply it in the real world after I graduate," he said.

Interestingly, some participants come from different economic backgrounds, including recipients of the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP). Their involvement shows that when access, coaching, and opportunities are provided equally, potential can grow regardless of socioeconomic conditions.

In the future, a series of activities will continue with the VCI Trade Fair on April 8, 2026 at the HighScope Indonesia School - TB Simatupang. In the exhibition, the virtual company formed by the students will present and offer product or service concepts to visitors.

A more contextual and applied approach to learning is one of the efforts to bridge the gap between the classroom and the reality of the world of work. The demographic bonus will only be a blessing if the younger generation is really prepared, not just with theory, but also with real experience in making decisions and bearing the risks.