Minister criticizes teachers over strike<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Debates on whether teachers are justified in
\ngoing on strike continue as Minister of National Education Abdul
\nMalik Fajar expressed displeasure with a series of recent
\nwidespread teachers' strikes to demand their six-months of back
\npay.<\/p>\n
But an official of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) argued
\nthat teachers saw no other choice but to strike to make the
\ngovernment disburse their back pay.<\/p>\n
Malik Fajar said here on Friday that it was inappropriate for
\nteachers to strike because they were expected to set a good
\nexample for their students.<\/p>\n
"Being an educator is very honorable and invaluable. If
\nteachers strike to demand their back pay, it is against the
\nspirit of their profession," Malik Fajar was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
He argued that teachers who went on strike should rethink
\ntheir choice of profession, that they should be role models to
\ntheir students as well as consider solving problems through
\ndialog.<\/p>\n
"A teacher is not the same as a worker or an employee. As
\neducators they should set an example, educate and teach students
\nso that they become intelligent, skilled and have a good morals,"
\nthe minister quipped.<\/p>\n
Thousands of teachers have gone on strike in a number of
\nregions over the last few weeks after regional administrations
\nfailed to meet their demand over back pay, which is from a salary
\nincrease effective as of January this year.<\/p>\n
Both central and local administrations have claimed the other
\nis responsible for the back pay.<\/p>\n
Malik Fajar said the strikes reflected immaturity on the
\nteachers' part. "Through dialog, teachers would set an example
\nfor their students on how to act properly and democratically, and
\nit would not disrupt the teaching-learning processes," he said.<\/p>\n
Responding to the minister's criticism, PGRI secretary-general
\nSulaeman S.B. Ismaya said that teachers were not happy about
\ndeserting the classroom to join the strikes.<\/p>\n
However, they were forced to because demands for their rights
\nwere being ignored, Sulaeman said.<\/p>\n
"The teachers are just like other people. We need what other
\npeople need," Sulaeman told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
Sulaeman further explained that the teachers went on strike
\nbecause they were desperate and realized there was no other
\nchoice.<\/p>\n
Other ways had been tried, including holding talks with
\nmembers of the regional legislative council and officials at
\nlocal administrations.<\/p>\n
"We want to listen to their arguments. We want to know if they
\nface difficulties," Sulaeman said. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-criticizes-teachers-over-strike-1447893297",
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