Indonesia currently has an insufficient number of lecturers who are qualified, according to the Research and Technology and Higher Education Ministry.

"Many of our lecturers only have a bachelor's degree, and the number of [those with a] doctorates and PhD is still under the minimum amount," said the ministry's director general of science and technology and higher education resources, Ali Ghufron Mukhti, at a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

As reported by Antara news agency, Ali said that based on the 2007 Teacher and Lecturer Law, all lecturers should have at minimum a postgraduate degree. There are 34,393 lecturers with a bachelor's degree. Meanwhile, there are 25,000 lecturers with a doctorate degree, 5,000 short of the government's desired amount.

"The number of professors is also very small--only 6,000 people. The ideal number is 22,000," said Ali.

In an effort to tackle the shortage, the ministry has eased the process of becoming a professor by shortening it to two months from two years previously. It has also launched three scholarship programs for 1,400 prospective lecturers. (kes)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by JAKARTA POST

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