Demographic bonuses, poor literacy, to Indonesia gold or anxious?

By: Usman Lonta
(Politicians and academics)

Rocky Gerung often made sharp criticism of optimistic people who were not based on the frame of thought, with the phrase that you are optimistic that Irration, while I am a rational pessimistic person. Actually this expression is not a multiple choice expression, but the diction choices are contextual choices.

In terms of demographic bonuses, Indonesia is currently in a historical crossing. Demographic experts call this period a momentum of demographic bonus, where the number of productive age population is far greater than non-productive age. Theoretically, this is the golden period that only happens once in the history of a nation.

If managed well, demographic bonuses can encourage economic growth, strengthen competitiveness, and accelerate the welfare of the people. However, history also records, demographic bonuses are not a guarantee of success. He can be a blessing, but can also turn into a social disaster, especially if the generation of young literacy is poor.

Demographic bonus is a large capital owned by the Indonesian people. With the composition of the dominant productive age population, Indonesia should have abundant labor to support industry, trade, mining and other sectors.

More than that, the younger generation can be an agent of change that presents innovation, new technology, and fresh ideas in national development. However, demographic capital will not mean anything if it is not equipped with the quality of human resources. Today’s work world no longer only demands energy, but also skills, creativity, and digital skills. In other words, what determines is not just the amount, but quality.