Sinar Mas and Eka Tjipta Foundation Renovating Three Vocational Schools (SMK) in Surakarta

Sinar Mas, through Eka Tjipta Foundation (ETF) together with other companies have poured funds worth more than Rp. 9 billion to renovate three vocational schools in Surakarta: SMK Negeri 2, SMK Negeri 6, SMK Negeri 5.

Not only physical renovation, but also procurement for learning support equipment, curriculum synchronization between schools and industrial business, as well as teacher competency development. As a result, SMK Negeri 2 now has competencies that match industry needs in providing Software Engineering education. At the same time, SMK Negeri 6 opened a Digital Marketing & Communications education program, and SMKN 5 is currently still in the stage of further renovation.

“The industry role must be there if they want vocational education to be more connected to them," said the General Chairperson of the Eka Tjipta Foundation (ETF), Hong Tjhin, while attending the inauguration in Surakarta, Central Java, Monday (13/9/2021).

Additionally, the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Republic of Indonesia said, “This (collaboration) boasts in advancing the concept of SMK, which is truly a link and match. Schools are transforming with absolute industrial sector participation. Not only infrastructure design, but also curriculum and human resources collaborating with each other,“.

The ETF initiatives in vocational education is an answer to the government's policy for reforming education. A year ago, ETF also did the same initiative for SMK 1 Strada in Gunung Sahari, Jakarta and SMK Kanisius Ungaran in Semarang, where they facilitated the schools to open Digital Marketing & Communications class