EduTalk: A Closer Look at the Kartu Prakerja Program
Welcome back to EduTalk! This time, I’ll be discussing one of the education and training programs provided by the Indonesian government, namely the Kartu Prakerja Program.
Launched in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kartu Prakerja Program aims to improve workforce competency and boost productivity and competitiveness in the job market. Through this program, participants have the opportunity to take training and receive financial incentives.
In Indonesia, the number of workers with a higher education background is still relatively low. Therefore, the Kartu Prakerja Program is expected to be a solution for people to acquire the skills needed in the workplace. This program has held 68 waves, targeting new job seekers, those who want to switch careers, and victims of layoffs (PHK).
But the question is, is this program effective in increasing competency and reducing unemployment rates?
Based on my experience as a content developer (at a training institution for the Kartu Prakerja Program), the quality of training provided in this program is generally quite good. The Kartu Prakerja Program continues to provide updates regarding the latest regulations and provides feedback for training institutions to make improvements to improve the quality of their training.
Unfortunately, even though it has been developed in such a way, the training in the Kartu Prakerja Program does not ensure full participation from all participants.
For example, I once worked as a program officer (at a different training institution from where I worked as a content developer), and I saw some participants who did not fully pay attention to the training material. Some of them turned off their cameras and used profile pictures with poses as if they were attending the training (online training requires participants to turn on their cameras during training as proof of attendance and participation). Some others just turned on the camera and left it. When I tried to reach out to these participants, there was no response on average. So, it can be concluded that some of these participants are not really following the training. Usually, this type of participant will only turn on the camera at the beginning and end of the training as a requirement for attendance and getting incentives from the Kartu Prakerja Program.
Furthermore, there is a problem related to the distribution of answers on various online platforms. This ultimately forces content developers to make new questions and report the accounts involved. In addition to the distribution of answers, there are also individuals who become a “joki” (an Indonesian term commonly used for someone who takes an exam or training for another person) for the Kartu Prakerja Program training.
In my opinion, this condition occurs because of the lack of public interest in education and more focus on the incentives offered. People feel that this program can give them additional money in a relatively easy way. As a result, it’s common to find participants who, as soon as the training is finished, will immediately ask for grades and certificates so that the incentives can be disbursed immediately.
In addition, I feel that the socialization and monitoring of this program is still not optimal. Many people are unfamiliar with the Kartu Prakerja Program, which allows misuse by certain individuals. Ideally, there should be representatives from the Kartu Prakerja Program who provide socialization to the community, as well as directly monitor the training process and find solutions to existing problems.
Furthermore, I feel that the Kartu Prakerja Program is a pretty good program, but it cannot be utilized properly by the public. On the other hand, I also somewhat understand why people only focus on the incentives. This is because job hunting in Indonesia is quite difficult, even for college graduates. So, people feel that this program can give them extra money with a fairly easy step.
Considering all these experiences, I believe that the Kartu Prakerja Program has great potential to help people improve their competence and reduce unemployment rates in Indonesia. However, substantial improvements are required for the program to optimally achieve its objectives. The program must address challenges such as participant engagement, monitoring, and public awareness.
