Maximize The Potential of Demographic Dividend For Economic Growth

Yogyakarta, 5 November 2018-The phase of demographic dividend that Indonesia currently experience may deliver benefits and threats. It requires efforts to maximize the potentials so that the demographic dividend can trigger a significant economic growth. The discussion surrounding efforts to take advantage of the demographic dividend was discussed in the public lecture entitled “Demographic Dividend and Human Development: How Prepared Are We?”. This public lecture was held by the Department of Sociology and the Department of Social Development and Welfare on Monday (5/11/2018). This public lecture took place in the Mandiri Auditorium on the 4th floor of Fisipol UGM and invited Pungkas Bahjuri Ali, the Director of the Health and Public Nutrition Division in the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS).

Pungkas explained that there are several elements of human capital. The first is capacity, which can be measured by formal education. The second is development, in which tells how someone is able to develop their skills after graduating from a formal education. The next element is know-how, which can be defined as a specialization of skills in the workforce.

“And the last one is the application of the skills that have been gained from experiences in the professional world, which can be defined as deployment,” as Pungkas stated.

In 2017, Indonesia was ranked 65th out of 120 countries, with the average score of 62.19, according to the Human Capital Index (HCI). HCI correlates greatly with the Gross National Income (GNI). If the HCI increases, so will the GNI.

“We need a healthy and educated generation. After completing graduation, the skills of such generation should be sharpened in order to be able to enter the workforce, and afterwards requires the access to banking as well as internet access to reach the desired human quality,” Pungkas stated.

Besides that, according to Pungkas, in order to increase productivity, a lifelong training is also required so that upon reaching the old age, such generation can remain productive.

“So, if we desire that demographic dividend to occur in Indonesia, we need to create a healthy generation and to increase the quality of education in Indonesia in order to establish a productive society with sufficient skills and knowledge that is able to spur economic growth,” as Pungkas has stated.

 

Translated by : Ariq Dmitri Andrei