Industry Ministry Encourages Batik-Painting for School Extracurricular Activity

Jakarta, InfoPublik - Industry Ministry and related stakeholders are continuing their efforts in educating young generations, especially students, to learn batik-painting,  to increase the sense of love for batik as a world cultural heritage, as well as to boost the growth of new enterpreneurs. 

“Currently we are coordinating with the Culture and Education Ministry to include batik-painting extracurricular in vocational school’s curriculum,” said Industry Ministry’s Small and Medium-Sized Industry Director General Gati Wibawaningsih on the National Batik Day commemoration event in Jakarta, Sunday (10/2). 

She believed that the movement to conserve, use and develop batik as a cultural heritage in the society has been increasing the demand of national batik and domestic batik industry growth. “Current domestic and foreign batik markets opportunity is very great,” said she.

She added that the ministry actively conducts promotions and fashion shows in many domestic  and overseas events which have been successful  to attract the world’s attention to Indonesia’s batik. 

“The events could increase the national batik export demand. Through batik, the creativity of craftsmen and fashion designers could be explored,” she stated. 

Based on the record of Industry Ministry, the value of batik product export in 2015 reached USD 178 million or increased 25.7 percent compared to last year’s export. “The main batik export markets are Japan, USA, and Europe,” she added.

Batik industry plays an important role as the national economic driver, labor absorber, and domestic clothing need supplier.

“Batik industry is dominated by small and medium-sized industries which are also the non-oil and gas sector foreign exchange earner,” she concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)