Demographic Bonus Being Opportunity or Threat of the Indonesian Nation

Indonesia, as the fourth most populous country in the world, has the opportunity to become a
developed country with rapid economic growth. With a population of 250 million at this time, and
will continue to increase every year, backed by abundant natural resources, the chances will be
enormous to bring Indonesia into a developed country in the future. Coupled with various
government policies that open investments as possible make Indonesia a chance to become a
developed country with economic growth above 10 percent. This is coupled with the demographic
bonus that is expected to occur in the year 2020-2030. Demographic Bonus is a bonus that a
country enjoys as a result of the large proportion of the productive population (age range 15-64
years) in its population evolution. This demographic bonus only happens once in a very long time
and will take place in a short amount of time. Therefore should be utilized as possible so that
demographic bonus is not passing. This momentum inevitably must be sought in such a way as
to bring positive impacts for the Indonesian nation. Some requirements must be fulfilled so that
demographic bonuses do not pass, among others, the population must be qualified, absorbed in
the labor market, increasing household savings and increasing women entering the labor market.
These four requirements should be of serious concern to the government. Development of
qualified human resources inevitably must be prepared as early as possible in order to welcome
the demographic bonus. Things that can be done for example by providing cheap and quality
education to the community, and formal education requires at least twelve years. Then by
requiring every resident of Indonesia have the ability to compete with foreign worker. In order for
demographic bonuses to be utilized as well as possible to reach its peak optimally, all national
development policies should be synergized and directed constructively, such as birth control,
family planning programs need to be intensified so that the total birth rate decreases, thus giving
women opportunity work or enter the labor market. In terms of education, conditioned 12-year
compulsory education movement for the population, in terms of manpower, it is necessary to
declare a policy of efforts to provide adequate employment. Similarly with other policies, need to
be harmonized with attention to the dynamics of population, social, economic, so that the
utilization of demographic bonus can be more optimal. demographic bonuses can be likened to
two sides of the coin, as opportunities and threats. These opportunities if they can be utilized as
well as possible will provide tremendous benefits for Indonesia, provided that all the requirements
described above have been met. However, these opportunities could be a threat as well as
boomerang for the Indonesian nation if not able to take advantage of the window of opportunity
that comes only once in a very long time and takes place in a short time.