Fadli, Batam – Limited transportation and communication between remote islands and the main island of Batam in Riau Islands province is responsible for the low skills of the workforce in those areas, especially among women, says an activist.

"The economic empowerment programs carried out by the Batam municipality should have raised the skills of women living on remote islands, but they have not had the best results and tended to overlook the aspect of upskilling the workforce, evident in the high rate of illiteracy among women on islands around Batam," Reny Widya, head of Perempuan, an NGO that supports women, told The Jakarta Post in Batam this week.

A survey conducted by the organization on several islands in Batam, such as Seraya, Ngenang and Janda Berhias, showed that of the 100 respondents, comprising 30 men and 70 women between the ages of 20 and 40, only five women could read and write.

The majority of the men could read and write despite not having finished their basic level of education.

"Most of the men there often travel to other areas and their level of social intercourse is higher than that of the women because they meet many people. Efforts by the Batam municipality to empower the women on the islands around Batam have apparently not touched the core of the issue," Reny said.

The government-initiated programs conducted on the islands, such as training in craftsmanship and environmental protection, have not met expectations. The administration has reportedly failed to follow up on the programs to create families that are economically independent.

"With regard to craftsmanship using marine resources, for instance, the administration has not thought about how to market the products or whether or not the activity can support them or if they are keen to do it," Reny said.

"The education programs provided to the islanders are also not well-coordinated with (programs from) other relevant agencies."

The group has urged the government to address the issue seriously, especially in eradicating illiteracy on remote islands in Batam and throughout the Riau Islands province.

One of the programs considered the most effective was the introduction of informal reading and writing classes for the community and supply of reading materials, Reny added.