West Java Launches Paguron Schools to Save Traditional Crafts

RRI.CO.ID, Bandung - The West Java Provincial Administration is preparing to launch a specialized network of traditional vocational learning centers called Paguron and will deploy direct monthly financial stipends to master artisans in an aggressive bid to rescue local heritage crafts from systemic generational extinction.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said this, on Monday, June 29, 2026, comes after provincial economic assessments detected a sharp, alarming drop in the number of youths entering specialized creative industries. Traditional sectors facing critical labor shortages include the legendary crochet crafts of Tasikmalaya and Garut, as well as woodcarving, sculpture, traditional painting, and hand-drawn batik (batik tulis) across West Java.

"I've asked the batik makers to gather and give them a monthly salary sufficient to teach batik. The same applies to carving, painting, traditional cooking, and even weaving, so that their skills remain intact," Dedi said on the sidelines of the 2026 West Java Sunda Karsa Fest Creative Works in Bandung, as quoted by Antara.

Under this unique state-funded wage model, recognized masters of dying crafts will be formally hired by the administration to head non-formal institutions dubbed Paguron Batik, Paguron Anyaman, Paguron Ukir, and Paguron Lukis. Their primary employment mandate will be to transfer their rare, highly complex manual techniques directly to the younger generation through rigorous apprenticeship systems.

The policy rollout coincided with the opening of the Sunda Karsa Fest 2026, a massive collaborative expo organized by Bank Indonesia (BI) and the West Java National Crafts Council (Dekranasda Jabar). Dedi noted that beyond safeguarding traditional knowledge, the festival serves as a crucial economic testing ground to evaluate the market resilience and competitive edge of the province's real sector in the domestic marketplace.

"This event, organized by Bank Indonesia (BI) and the West Java Provincial Dekranasda (Dekranasda), is part of an evaluation of the development of MSMEs, as well as a promotion program. This will give everyone a strong sense of confidence that MSMEs are a crucial part of the economic system being built in West Java," the Governor added.

To ensure equitable economic growth across the province, Dedi proposed that future editions of integrated micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) festivals move away from being exclusively hosted in the provincial capital of Bandung. Instead, the administration plans to rotate the showcase across all 27 regencies and cities throughout West Java to stimulate localized rural economies. ***