VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ministry of National Development Planning has said that youth development is continuously being strengthened to create quality human resources in Indonesia.

"Youth development is a strategic program to facilitate all matters related to the youth and to create superior and quality human resources," the ministry's acting deputy for development of humans, community, and culture, Subandi Sardjoko, said at a Youth Stakeholders Coordination Meeting accessed online from here on Thursday.

Youth development is also a supporting factor for utilizing the demographic dividend, he explained. "Youth development is crucial considering that Indonesia will achieve a demographic dividend that must be used properly," he said.

Youth development includes several aspects, such as adopting the life-cycle approach, strengthening regulations and institutional governance, as well as revitalizing facilities and infrastructure to support youth development, Sardjoko noted.

In addition, it includes strengthening cross-sectoral coordination on youth services and involving youth as equal partners in sustainable development.

"To utilize the demographic dividend well, all of those aspects in youth development must be fulfilled," he said.

To take advantage of and optimize the achievement of a demographic dividend, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of things related to human resource development, he added.

"First, health issues must be a concern so that when the human resources enter the productive age, they have excellent health and when they enter old age, they still remain productive," he said.

In addition, education also needs to be a concern to create an adaptive and competitive workforce.

During the meeting, deputy for the coordination of quality improvement of children, women, and youth at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Femmy Eka Kartika Putri, affirmed that the government is continuously strengthening cross-sectoral coordination on youth services in order to create quality and competitive human resources.

"The strategic cross-sectoral coordination continues to be strengthened, especially the synergy between the central and regional (governments),” she said. (Antaranews)