“If there is a job vacancy. We need to first check the contacts, requirements, and companies whether it is valid or not, check if there is a job vacancy, first check the contact, the requirements listed are valid or not,” said Ita, a teacher at SMK Negeri 1 Wonosobo during the teaching day held on 16 November 2022. It is one of the vocational teachers involved in the program to strengthen vocational participation in preventing irresponsible recruitment. This program is a collaboration between the INFEST Foundation and the Education, Youth and Sports Office of the Wonosobo District with the support of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA).
Prior to the teaching process at school, the teachers attended training on decent work and tried out a manual entitled ‘Labour Market and Responsible Work’. This manual serves as a reference and source of information on decent work, the labour market, recruitment, and prevention of modern slavery. Teachers also prepared teaching materials together in the “Teaching Material Preparation Training” on November 7, 2022, a week before the teaching process took place. During the training, teachers were invited to reflect on the importance of preparing their own teaching materials to correspond to the needs of the school. The material presented still refers to the purpose of the material and keywords derived from each topic contained in the manual.
Monitoring activities, in-house training and the teaching process took place for 2 days on November 15-16 2022. Novia Putri, a representative from the INFEST Foundation Team, visited 6 schools consisting of 2 public SMKs and 4 private SMKs. These included SMK Negeri 1 Wonosobo, SMK Negeri 1 Kalikajar, SMK Muhammadiyah 1 Wonosobo, SMK Wiratama 45.2, SMK Karya Mandiri NU and SMK Gema Nusantara. The visit was divided into 6 sessions, namely 3 sessions each or 3 schools per day according to the school hours of each school. This activity involved more than 6 teachers and 262 students.
The teaching process was carried out by BKK teachers or counselling teachers in each school who had participated in various training since July 2022. Each teacher delivered 1 learning chapter or material in the manual “Job Market and Responsible Work” covering: 1) Decent Work, 2) Labour Market, 3) Labour Recruitment and 4) Preventing Modern Slavery Practices. Each chapter of learning material was delivered in one lesson which lasted 30 to 45 minutes according to the class hours in each school. In addition to receiving knowledge sourced from manuals, students also carried out pre-tests and post-tests for evaluating the material and the process of delivering teaching material.
Photo: Ibad while monitoring the teaching process at SMK Muhammadiyah 1 Wonosobo.
Source: Yogyakarta Infest Foundation Documentation 2022.
In addition to monitoring learning activities at school, Ibad and his team also stayed in touch and discussed with school principals and teachers regarding the material that the teachers received through training and what information could be taught to their students. The teachers said both the manual and the entire training process they received were very beneficial for schools, especially their students. Particularly in preparing themselves before entering the world of work and preventing exploitative practices in the world of work. [NPK]
