Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s manpower minister called for stronger science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to reduce workforce skills mismatches and better align graduates with labor market needs.
Speaking at the annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Faculties of Indonesian Teacher Education Institutions (AMLI) in Jakarta on Thursday, Minister Yassierli said Indonesia faces a skills mismatch of 30-40 percent.
He said a vertical skills mismatch occurs when jobs intended for high school graduates are filled by university graduates, while a horizontal mismatch occurs when graduates work outside their fields of study.
Yassierli called for closer collaboration among stakeholders, including teacher education institutions specializing in mathematics and natural sciences, to strengthen STEM education.
“Many deans and their teams are working together to prepare graduates with stronger competencies. This is a positive initiative, and we fully support it,” he said.
The minister said STEM competencies have become essential skills for Indonesia’s future workforce.
Yassierli, an industrial engineering professor at the Bandung Institute of Technology, said university STEM curricula and teaching materials should be updated regularly to better match labor market demand.
“These are essential competencies for our future workforce. Industry has specific occupational needs, while universities must develop academic programs that respond to those requirements,” he said.
AMLI Chairman Edy Cahyono said Indonesian university graduates face mounting challenges because of limited job opportunities and growing demand for broader skill sets.
“We have come together to discuss how each academic program can accelerate innovation and develop solutions to the challenges we face together,” he said.
Hadi Nasbey, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Jakarta State University, said the meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration among teacher education institutions across Indonesia.
He said higher education faces increasing demands for closer cooperation in curriculum development, teaching quality, research and community engagement.
“Through this forum, we hope to produce strategic recommendations that strengthen the role of mathematics and natural sciences faculties in educating teachers, researchers and graduates who can adapt to scientific advances and evolving labor market needs,” he said.
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Translator: Sean, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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