On November 5, 2020, the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia visited the ASEAN Studies Centre LPPM UNS under the program of Coordinate and Collect the Data and Input to the Implementation Plan of ASEAN Consensus Action Plan 2021-2025. The representatives from the Ministry of Manpower of Republic of Indonesia, Gitmawati Rahmadewi served as the Introduction to Work, Ratri Nurinda served as the Foreign Agency Cooperation Analyst and Atik Widayani served as the Compiler of Domestic Institution Cooperation Materials, received and welcomed by Ign. Agung Satyawan and Andriko Sandria as the peer group and representatives of ASEAN Studies Centre LPPM UNS.
The objective of the visitation is to seek an advice and input from academicians in ASEAN Studies Centre LPPM UNS related to the issues of education for the children whose parent are migrating within the ASEAN region. During the discussion, the representatives from the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia stated that there are few programs related to the issues, for instance the Productive Migrant Village Pilot Project and Desa Migran Produktif (Desmigratif). But, they noted, that the Desmigratif program itself needs a further development and evaluation of the program.
Concerned to the issues mentioned, Andriko Sandria stated that, “There is a need for identification/mapping of the migrant workers’ children, which one of them follow the parent to migrate or left behind in the hometown. In addition, the treatment standardization in ASEAN region related to the issue of the education for migrant workers’ children is also very necessary given that the standards of ASEAN Member States must differ from one another. Thus, there will be an appropriate framework for the treatment standardization for the education of the migrant workers’ children.”
As the closing statement for the discussion, Ign. Agung Satywan mentioned as follows, “The area of identification/mapping should be focused on the enclave of migrants in Indonesia (Pekerja Migran Indonesia/PMI). Through this step, later we can find and select which one of those children needs the education assistance or help the most. Furthermore, the needs of awareness related to the issue mentioned is high, especially from the smallest sector, such as the Regional Education Office. The Regional Education Office can initiate the formation of community-based to promote education for the migrant workers’ children and reduce the risk of dropping out of school. Thus, both of the migrant workers’ children who follow their parents to migrate or the one who are left behind with the family can experience the right access to education.”
During the visitation, the topic about the pre-departure training for the migrant workers in ASEAN region was also discussed. ASEAN Studies Centre LPPM UNS advised two points, first consider to increase the awareness for the migrant workers regarding their personal safety in the training curriculum, second set the treatment standardization that can be used widely in the ASEAN region. At the end of the visitation, the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia and ASEAN Studies Centre LPPM UNS realized the need for further research in developing appropriate programs which is benefitting the migrant workers in ASEAN region.
