London (ANTARA News) - At an informal partnership meeting of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia in Dakar, Indonesia Ambassador to Senegal Mansyur Pangeran shared his countrys experiences in education and asserts its importance in boosting development in the economy and improving peoples welfare.

A statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Dakar received by ANTARA News here on Wednesday noted that the meeting was also attended by UNESCO representatives.

Ambassador Mansyur said Indonesias constitution mandates the government to increase and develop the national education system by allocating 20 percent of the total national budget for education.

According to Mansyur, Indonesia has to handle many challenges, among others the lack of educational infrastructures, especially in remote areas.

One of President Joko Widodos educational programs for Indonesia includes developing vocational schools to help students compete when seeking employment.

The government, the ambassador said, is improving the quality of not only higher educational institutions, but also vocational schools.

Mansyur added that there are two scholarship programs provided by the Indonesian government for seven African countries, including Senegal, such as Darmasiswa and Developing Countries Partnership.

Data on the Human Development Index (HDI) from the UNDP in 2015 showed Senegal as 170th out of 188 countries.

In addition, the illiteracy rate in Senegal was quite high, at around 56 percent.

UNESCO concludes that such conditions are the cause of the Senegalese government not being able to implement its national education policy, as educational potentials in the country have not been fully explored.
(Uu.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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