DENPASAR ~

Head of Bali Provincial Tourism Office Anak Agung Gede Putra Yuniartha stated that minimum educational standards for guides in Bali will be derived from Diploma III (D3) into high school.

“This is in line with the revision of Bali Provincial Laws on Guides,” said Yuniartha, in Denpasar, on Monday. According to him, the previous minimum requirement of education which is D3 becomes constraints that cause guide become difficult to get card guides.

“Many guides who just graduated from high school already fluent in foreign languages,” he said.

Yuniartha believed despite lowered educational standards, it will not affect the competence of the guides in Bali because they are also given cultural education, history and so on. In addition, they are working with the Ministry of Tourism Human Resources Department and the College of Tourism Nusa Dua that will also hold training to improve guides competence.

On the other hand, the Head of Civil Service Police Unit of Bali Province, Made Sukadana also lodged a complaint related to the issuance of Identification Card Guides related to the previous rule. “Many of our guides do not have identity cards as a result of constrained minimum educational requirements. This is why many guides as though illegal,” he said recently.

According to Sukadana, the revised regulations will lead the guide become more open to get the ID card. The reality is that many students that have graduated from high school have good ability and foreign language skills.