Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hopes Gramedia Plays An Active Role In Improving Reading Literacy

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto revealed that improving the quality of human resources can be done by encouraging the habit of reading books, especially to obtain quality information and knowledge.

According to him, these ideals are still quite challenging to be realized in Indonesia. This is because, based on a survey released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Indonesia's literacy rate is currently ranked 62 out of 70 countries.

“This condition is a challenge for us all and one of the strategies that can be done is to increase access to quality reading sources. We hope that Gramedia as one of the largest corporations in the field of literacy, especially book retail, can provide more inclusive access to all people," he said when speaking at the Opening Ceremony of Gramedia 52th Anniversary, quoted Friday, February 4.

Airlangga revealed that if access to quality information, either through reading books or other literacy sources, the nation's productivity can be increased. One of them is by increasing innovation and creativity to encourage entrepreneurial activity.

Airlangga himself, who serves as the coordinating minister for the economy, tried to share his experiences through the book “MSME Financing” which was launched late last year. This book contains various information related to the development of MSMEs through special financing strategies.

"The importance of the role of MSMEs is also illustrated by the gold color on the cover of the book which explains that the Government is committed to continuing to encourage the empowerment of MSMEs so that they can advance to class and contribute more to the economy," said Airlangga as the initiator of the book's publication.

He expressed his hope that the contribution given could contribute positively in helping the development of MSMEs which are the main engine of the economy.

“Finally, I would like to congratulate Gramedia on its 52nd birthday. Hopefully, it can continue to be a source of quality literacy for the wider community which is the main prerequisite for the nation's economic progress, so that future generations can easily access it. The love of reading can be encouraged as the first step in the progress of the nation," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga.