Koran Tempo. Director of the Institute for Education Reform Utomo Dananjaya stated that the government should not hinder the opening of new majors at universities. Utomo has the opinion that as an educational institution that is responsive to the development of science, universities must constantly evolve. “This indicates a civilized nation,” he said to Tempo yesterday.

According to Utomo, at the moment, science that is developing in Indonesia is stagnant, “Available majors are the same from time to time. If there is any change, only in the faculty of informatics.”

Utomo also said that universities must keep on restructuring and open opportunities. In Indonesia, only 14 percent of the total population in university age is able to enter universities. “This is very low compared to China with its 85 percent,” he says.

Previously, General Secretary of the Department of Education Dodi Nandika reported that the government will limit the openings of new major at universities. The restriction is done to increase quality and relevance of education in Indonesia.

Each new major proposed, he follows, will be analyzed according to market demand so that its graduates will not be jobless. At the moment, the average waiting time for graduates to get their first job can reach one year. “This should be shortened,” he says.

According to Utomo, the abundance of educated unemployment in Indonesia is not caused by the many majors but because of the inability of the government to provide work market. The government does not have the initiative to develop domestic competency. He puts an example the aviation industry in Indonesia which was suddenly stopped, “in fact, if only the government would focus, aviation industry can be an opportunity for graduates to work.”

Another problem, he continues, education that is being developed does not force students to think creatively after graduating. “Students depend too much on job openings. Entrepreneurship is not taught at universities and thus not practiced when they graduate,” he explains.