Data from Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) for 2022 reveals that 7.99% of the country’s 8.49 million openly unemployed individuals were graduates of educational institutions. This implies that almost 673,000 university graduates in Indonesia are either without employment or have not yet found a job.
Several factors contribute to this situation, including technological changes, slow job market growth, and disparities in wages in different regions. Notably, the presence of foreign workers in Indonesia, particularly from China and Japan, plays a significant role. According to data from the Ministry of Manpower in the first half of 2023, there are 73,011 foreign workers in Indonesia, raising concerns.
To address this issue, the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture began emphasizing the importance of accrediting and testing the competencies of foreign workers in the education sector in 2015
The National Standardization Agency (BSN) also initiated competency accreditation for these foreign workers and ensured the authenticity of their diplomas. This standardization is expected to prevent the employment of foreign workers who do not meet the required standards.
However, what if these foreign workers attempt to deceive the standardization process with counterfeit diplomas? Would this intensify the competition for local university graduates in the job market?
A lesson from Singapore: education diploma verification as a solution
Singapore takes this issue seriously. The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has strengthened the education diploma verification process as a requirement for the Employment Pass (EP) application to combat the problem of fake diplomas.
Every educational qualification submitted in an EP application must be supported by third-party verification, including verifying the authenticity of diplomas. This step reduces recruitment errors resulting from fake diplomas and ensures that foreign workers possess competencies and quality in line with expected standards.
Singapore’s policy aims to create order and fairness in the labor market while reducing issues stemming from invalid educational information.
The consequences of fake diplomas: threats to safety and quality
In numerous countries, the use of counterfeit diplomas by foreign workers presents significant problems, including a decline in industry quality, business losses, threats to public safety, and even the stability of a nation.
Incidents involving the use of fake diplomas by immigrants in Norway and counterfeit medical professionals in Germany have garnered attention. This situation is more concerning when job-seeking immigrants without the necessary skills assume crucial positions, reducing job opportunities for local workers.
National policies and company vigilance
Singapore’s approach to tackling fake diplomas can inspire other countries. In places where educational diploma verification requirements are not in place, companies have a crucial role to play in preventing the use of fake diplomas. Steps that companies can take include:
- Ensuring that foreign job applicants provide complete documentation.
- Verifying the diplomas of potential employees by contacting relevant educational institutions or using an Education Verification platform.
- Emphasizing the importance of education diploma verification, particularly during the recruitment of new employees.
- Providing a secure channel for employees to report the use of fake diplomas.
- Collaborating with authorities to take strict action against the use of fake diplomas.
These measures are crucial for maintaining workforce quality and preventing the potential negative consequences of fake diplomas. While restrictions on foreign workers in Indonesia are important, verification and competency testing must still be carried out to ensure that they meet the established standards, ultimately benefiting the local workforce.
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