Government poised to improve teachers' welfare<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid assured teachers'
\nnationwide that he would realize their calls for better pay, but
\ninsisted that the demanded 500 percent increase in allowance and
\n300 percent increase in basic salary was totally unrealistic.<\/p>\n
Quoting the President, who met with a group of teachers from
\nCentral Java at Bina Graha Presidential Office on Wednesday,
\nMinister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said the government
\nwith its limited financial resources simply does not have the
\ncapacity to meet these demands.<\/p>\n
The President said as a former teacher himself, he fully
\nunderstood the teachers' complaints, but as the country's leader
\nhe also must weigh the interests of other civil servants.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman urged the country's teachers to go back to work
\nbecause students were awaiting their presence.<\/p>\n
Before receiving the teachers, the President earlier in the
\nmorning presided over a Cabinet meeting that focused on the
\nwidespread teachers' protests.<\/p>\n
Boycott<\/p>\n
After Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Marsilam
\nSimajuntak said the Cabinet agreed to improve teachers welfare
\nbut all would be pending the arrival of Minister of Finance
\nBambang Sudibyo.<\/p>\n
While the government wants to raise teachers' salaries, the
\nHouse has already approved this year's budget. Thus any increase
\nmust be worked out with the minister of finance.<\/p>\n
\"We can only make a decision after the arrival of Minister of
\nFinance Bambang Sudibyo on April 21 from abroad,\" Marsilam
\ninsisted.<\/p>\n
It is expected that the government will concede to a 100
\npercent to 200 percent increase in allowances for teachers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the Chairman of the Indonesian Teachers Union
\n(PGRI), Muhammad Surya told The Jakarta Post the organization has
\nissued an official statement saying that it will no longer
\ncondone mass teachers' rallies.<\/p>\n
More importantly he said PGRI would not support a boycott of
\nnational year end examinations (EBTANAS).<\/p>\n
\"We have issued an official letter that we will not conduct
\nanymore mass rallies or other actions violating regulations,\"
\nMuhammad said.<\/p>\n
The Head of the PGRI Jakarta chapter, Abdul Rochim, also gave
\nassurance that teachers in the capital would not boycott the
\nimportant year end exams.<\/p>\n
\"We promise not to abandon our students and even if we decide
\nto rally again we will arrange it so that each school only sends
\nrepresentatives so it will not hamper school activities,\" Abdul
\ntold reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
EBTANAS exams are due to be held across the country starting
\nnext month. Elementary schools will hold examinations from June 5
\nto 7; junior high schools from May 29 to 31, and senior high
\nschools from May 29 to June 2.<\/p>\n
The Chairman of the Catholic Education Board, Louise
\nColdenhoss also pledged that Catholic schools across the country
\nwill not boycott year end examinations.<\/p>\n
\"It is appropriate to fight for teachers' welfare but it
\nshould not hurt the students. We are definitely going to conduct
\nthe national end of term examinations as scheduled,\" Louise told
\nthe Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
However, in Makassar, South Sulawesi, teachers called on their
\ncolleagues to strike on May 2, National Education Day, and
\nboycott year end exams if the government does not respond to
\nteachers' demands.<\/p>\n
The threat was announced in a huge rally on Wednesday
\ninvolving at least 1,000 teachers from 24 regencies in the
\nprovince. It was the third protest this month.<\/p>\n
In a related development, some 300 teachers in the Central
\nJava capital of Semarang staged a street demonstration at Simpang
\nLima demanding a 300 percent increase in allowances. They also
\nurged the government to give overtime pay for elementary school
\nteachers.<\/p>\n
The street rally ended after the teachers held a dialog with
\nprovincial legislators at the legislative council office.
\n(27\/har\/sur\/dja\/jun\/prb\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-poised-to-improve-teachers-welfare-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}