JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 24, 2004 - Cisco Systems® and the Indonesian Ministry of Education's Directorate of Vocational Education (Dikmenjur) announced today that the Cisco® Networking Academy® Program will be established in more than 400 vocational high schools across the country. This is an extension of an earlier agreement between Cisco and the Ministry to bring the networking skills program to Indonesia.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program trains students and in-transition workers to design, build and maintain computer networks. Students are prepared for industry-standard certifications such as the associate-level Cisco CCNA®, and the professional-level Cisco CCNP® certifications. Today, more than 60 Academies operate in Indonesia, with more than 2000 students enrolled.
The Directorate of Vocational Education will deliver the first four semesters of the program leading to CCNA, as well as IT Essentials 1 and 2 courses in the July 2004 intake period, in more than 50 vocational high schools initially. The schools will operate independently but are authorized to use materials provided by Cisco and Cisco Learning Partners. Cisco assists in evaluating the results of the teaching. The program will eventually be extended to more than 400 schools.
"We first started delivering the Cisco Networking Academy Program three years ago and we found that it provided our students with an excellent foundation in computer networking skills. By expanding the program and including the new IT Essentials curriculum, we will enable more of our young people to get acquainted with important skills. These skills will not only benefit them but the Indonesian economy as a whole," said Mr. Gatot Hari Prijowirjanto, director of Vocational Education, Ministry of Education.
Mr. Irfan Setiaputra, managing director, Indonesia, Cisco Systems said that the Networking Academy Program has been well-received worldwide since its launch in 1997. "It is an honor for Cisco Systems to be able to contribute to Indonesian education. We believe that the partnership between Cisco and Dikmenjur to include the Cisco Networking Academy Program as part of the national curriculum will produce a new generation of graduates who will have the opportunity to earn an internationally recognized qualification. This will enable them to compete in the global market. We are optimistic that Indonesia's networking experts will be able to respond to the demands and challenges of the future," he added.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program
The Cisco Networking Academy Program is a partnership between Cisco Systems, education, business, government and community organizations around the world, aimed at nurturing IT professionals. The educational program employs an e-learning model, using a combination of Web-based and instructor-led training along with a hands-on lab environment to teach students how to design, build and maintain computer networks.
First launched in 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy Program now has 10,000 Academies in more than 145 countries worldwide. More than 1100 Academies are located in 24 countries in Asia Pacific.
About the Directorate of Vocational Education
The Directorate of Vocational Education (Dikmenjur) is an institution built to generate human resources that are capable of surviving in the free market. This will be carried out through educational institutions and vocational training that will use international and national standards. A vocational school is a secondary educational institution that focuses on the development of specific skills of the students. The roles of the Dikmenjur are to formulate policies and conduct training and evaluation in vocational schools.
