Activities

Writer: Firra Kholisha Mustika, Communication

Dissemination and Closing of the Tourism TVET Ecosystem Strengthening Project in Southwest Sumba was held on July 30, 2022 at Tambaloka, Southwest Sumba. The project dissemination was attended by the regent of Southwest Sumba, Bapak dr. Kornelius Kodi Mete; the head of economics and natural resources Ibu Trifonia Y. Patti for representing the Head of Bapelitbangda Southwest Sumba; The head of Tourism Departments of Southwest Sumba, Bapak Ir. Nyoman Agus S., M.T.; Korwas of SMA/SMK/SLB Southwest Sumba Regency, NTT Province. And the head of middle education of NTT Prvince, Bapak Ayub Sanam, S.Pd. 

Also present were Drs. Mixon Abineno – Headmaster of SMKN 1 Kupang City; Mr. Drs. I Made Sudir, (Deputy Head of Student Affairs) representing the Head of SMKN 3 Denpasar; Bapak I Wayan Gede Wahyudi, S.Tr.Par. - Melali MICE, Bali; Ibu Lucia Niken Susantari, Training Manager of Bali Dynasty Resort; Bapak Evert Da Lopez Baksuni, Operation Manager of New Sasando International Hotel, Kupang; Principals and teachers from 2 (two) SMK assisted by DESMA Center (SMKN 2 Tambolaka City & SMK Pancasila Tambolaka), 5 (five) non-assisted vocational schools (SMK Bakti Luhur Tambolaka, SMK Kasimo Tambolaka, SMK Efata Ombarade, SMKN 1 Waikabubak and SMKN 2 Lamboya) and Ibu Mariska Estelita, representative of William & Lily Foundation.

The activity began with the opening, then continued with the presentation of the implementation of the TVET Tourism Ecosystem Strengthening Project in Southwest Sumba delivered by the Co-Founder & Deputy Directior of DESMA Center, Bapak Dicky Mardyan. 

In the presentation, several achievements of the three pillars implemented during the program were conveyed, namely 23 RKB / MoU smk tourism beneficiaries with related tourism industries in Sumba, Kupang and Bali (including the MoU of SMK with Tourism Villages in the SMK Building Village program launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture, 8 stakeholder forum meetings, Building networks with 303 tourism industry players,  5 productive teachers from SMK assisted by DESMA Center to obtain Competency Assessor Certificates from the National Professional Certification Agency (BNSP), 16 trainings for school management through the Sister Schools program with model schools, namely SMKN 3 Denpasar and SMKN 1 Kupang initiated by DESMA Center, 23 Training of Trainers programs for 52 productive teachers and school management from two beneficiary schools and other tourism vocational schools (ToT). This activity has impacted 1,488 students.

In addition, this project also facilitates 6 productive teachers to do an intern in the tourism industry for one month in Bali, facilitates a digital platform for alumni tracing, facilitates 4 themes of student internship guidebooks, provides supporting facilities for teaching and learning activities (such as textbooks and popular knowledge for libraries and equipment in libraries, as well as props containing tourism knowledge for students and teachers),  facilitating school promotional materials (posters and banners) and facilitating jobfair activities for SMK Tourism, which was the first time it was held in Southwest Sumba.

The session continued with impressions, messages and discussions with Assisted Vocational School, Non-Assisted Vocational Schools, Model Vocational School, Tourism Industries and the government. 

"The program implemented by DESMA Center supported by William & Lily Foundation and Adaro Foundation answers our concerns regarding the willingness capacity of human resources in Southwest Sumba, originally the school did not communicate with the department and now it has good communication and collaboration," said Bapak Ir. Nyoman Agus S., M.T. – Head of the Tourism Office of Southwest Sumba Regency.

"Now we (Southwest Sumba) already have a Tourism Assessor for SMK Tourism and our hope is that this program can be resumed," Said Bapak Yulius Djawamara, S.Pd. – Korwas SMA / SMK / SLB Kab. SBD Dinas P&K Prov. NTT.

"We have 7 major in schools and the workshops given are very useful for our school and not only for the tourism sector," said one of the teachers of SMK Pancasila Tambolaka.

"Although we are not an assisted vocational school, we also feel a positive impact on increasing the capacity of teaching staff and increasing partner networks with the tourism industry and tourism schools," Mrs. Siska smk Bakti Luhur Sumba Barat Daya conveyed her impression. SMK Bakti Luhur is a non-assisted vocational school that is also present in various trainings carried out by the DESMA Center in this project.   

"It's never too late for us together to generate competitive tourism. I hope that Sumba tourism can develop like Bali," said Drs. I Made Sudira, representative of SMKN 3 Denpasar Bali.

The event was closed by giving souvenirs in the form of plaques and cloths to Assisted Vocational Schools, Model Vocational Schools, related tourism industries and the government involved in the Tourism TVET Ecosystem Strengthening Project in Southwest Sumba.

_____________

The "DESMA Pandai - Strengthening the Tourism TVET Ecosystem in Southwest Sumba" program implemented by DESMA Center, is a collaborative project funded by the William & Lily Foundation with the Adaro Foundation. The program lasts for 2 (two) years from August 1, 2020 to July 30, 2022. The direct beneficiary beneficiary is SMKS Pancasila Tambolaka and SMKN 2 Tambolaka City, Southwest Sumba Regency. Project activities include:

(1) Strengthening advocacy to provincial and district governments; (2) Increasing the capacity of tourism vocational schools to prepare to meet the requirements towards LSP P1; and (3) Strengthening the linkage and network of tourism vocational schools with related tourism industries. 

This project is in partnership with the Education and Culture Office of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Korwas SMA / SMK / PLB of Southwest Sumba Regency, Government of Southwest Sumba Regency, Tourism Office of Southwest Sumba Regency, and 2 (two) model vocational schools, namely SMKN 1 Kupang and SMKN 3 Denpasar which are involved in sister school programs with SMKS Pancasila and SMKN 2 Tambolaka. The project also has the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.