Population is always a double-edged sword for Indonesia. On the one hand, we need human resources to develop the nation, but on the other hand, the unqualified and unemployable are a burden on society.
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that between 2010 to 2035, the country’s population will grow from 238 million to over 305 million. In other words, on average, there will be about 3 million more people in Indonesia every year, which the country has to feed, educate, and employ.
The country’s economic growth averaged around 6 percent over the last several years. It’s far from enough to compensate for the population growth and the increase in new job seekers. In Indonesia,
1 percent economic growth will generate 200,000 to 300,000 new jobs. So, 6 percent growth may only provide 1.2 million to 1.8 million new jobs.
As it is, the outlook seems far from positive.
At the current rate, there will be an additional 1.2 million to 1.8 million unemployed every year.
The BPS’s latest data, for instance, shows that between February and August last year alone, there was a net increase in unemployment. As many as 220,000 people lost their jobs during that period.
There are only three ways to solve this problem. First, we need to lower the population growth rate, and/or, second, we need faster economic growth.
It’s time to support programs of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), especially to convince the poor to have fewer kids.
The third is the key to all, albeit on a longer term. This is to increase the quality of education. The more educated people are, the less likely they are of having children they can’t support.
Most importantly, quality education allows people to be more creative, innovative and productive. No nation can solve population and economic problems without raising the quality of its education. sumber
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