Teachers' protest turns ugly<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of West Java teachers descended on the
\ncapital on Tuesday holding a boisterous demonstration despite
\ntentative agreement by the government to raise their allowances
\nby 200 percent.<\/p>\n
Wearing batik uniforms, some 10,000 teachers arrived in
\nhundreds of buses during the early morning. Their primary
\ndestination was the House of Representatives building where their
\nnumbers completely blanketed the compound.<\/p>\n
But their demeanor sabotaged any reasonable dialog with House
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung who agreed to meet with them. The meeting
\nhall, packed with hundreds of teachers, resembled a delinquent
\nschoolboy gathering, rather than a meeting of educators.<\/p>\n
The emotionally charged teachers shouted demands for even
\nhigher increases, again threatening to strike on May 2 if they do
\nnot get relief.<\/p>\n
Akbar was forced to depart the meeting hall as the teachers
\nbecame too rowdy. Each seemed to want to make a personal
\nstatement, jumping on tables to make their voices heard over
\nother shouting colleagues. Those in the upper seats shouted and
\nflung empty water bottles.<\/p>\n
As Akbar departed under police guard, the teachers began
\nchanting: \"liar, liar, liar\".<\/p>\n
In another part of the House building a group of teachers were
\nseen embroiled in an argument with each other. The argument
\nbecame so heated it nearly erupted into a mass brawl.
\nFortunately, cooler heads separated the emotional teachers.<\/p>\n
Later, Akbar said he could understand the teachers' demands
\nbut rejected the threat of a strike.<\/p>\n
\"Since the government and the House have given attention to
\nthe teachers, they should not hold the strike,\" Akbar, who is
\nalso the chairman of the Golkar party, said.<\/p>\n
He promised to deliver the teachers' demands to President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid during a meeting scheduled for April 26.<\/p>\n
Akbar explained that an increase in teachers' salaries and
\nallowances must be considered in context with the additional
\nburden it would place on the State Budget.<\/p>\n
Besides the House building, some 300 teachers also visited the
\nMinistry of Finance to convey their demands.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Bogor Indonesian Teachers Association, Aim
\nHalim Hermana, explained that they demanded a 500 percent
\nincrease on their allowance, 300 percent increase in basic
\nsalary, and a minimum allocation of 25 percent of the State
\nBudget for education and integrated education programs.<\/p>\n
Aim stressed that the increased allowance is imperative to
\nadjust the existing rate of Rp 45,000 to Rp 125,000 monthly by
\nMay 2. While the 300 percent increase in basic salary could be
\nachieved in phases.<\/p>\n
The ministry's director general of budget Anshari Ritonga said
\nhe will follow up the teachers' aspirations.<\/p>\n
Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin on Monday said
\nthat he had secured a tentative agreement to raise teachers'
\nallowances by 200 percent.<\/p>\n
March<\/p>\n
Dissatisfied with the reaction they got, the teachers then
\nmarched along Jakarta's main avenues to the State Palace causing
\nmassive traffic jams amidst the evening rush hour.<\/p>\n
Their seven teacher representatives were met by acting State
\nSecretary Bondan Gunawan who promised to explain their demands at
\nthe next cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, police provided some 15 trucks to transport
\nthe teachers back to the Senayan Sports Complex where their buses
\nwere parked.<\/p>\n
But late at night several dozen teachers were still seen at
\nthe House complex promising to remain there until their demands
\nwere met.<\/p>\n
Separately, after an unscheduled meeting with President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin
\nsaid the President could not immediately respond to the teachers'
\ndemands until the return of Minister of Finance Bambang Sudibdyo
\nfrom a meeting in Paris.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists at Merdeka Palace, Yahya said he had
\nproposed an increase in teachers' allowances.<\/p>\n
\"Gus Dur said, God willing, teachers' income would be raised.
\nIf Gus Dur says 'God willing', it means we can be sure that it
\nwill be raised,\" Yahya said referring to Abdurrahman by his
\npopular name.<\/p>\n
Yahya also appealed to the teachers to return to their towns
\nand resume teaching.<\/p>\n
With the presence of so many educators in the capital, many
\nschools in Bandung conducted partial activities only and students
\nwere asked to go home early.<\/p>\n
Sumarni, an elementary school principal in Bandung, said the
\nschools were represented by three or four teachers in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
But almost all schools in Tangerang, West Java were closed
\nbecause their 4,000 teachers joined the rally in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Teachers' rallies also occurred in several other cities.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, some 300 teachers claiming to represent 3,000
\nteachers in Central Java, held a protest and said they would also
\ngo to Jakarta soon to stage a rally.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, about 100 students from the Student Solidarity
\nfor the People (SPUR) and the Pidie Student Action Unity for
\nPeople (Kappur) organizations staged a protest demanding a 300
\npercent salary raise for the teachers.<\/p>\n
\"It is outrageous for teachers to be ignored and underpaid as
\nthey have such heavy tasks. None of you councillors or senior
\nofficials would be here if it were not for those who taught you
\nthrough school,\" Teuku Irwani, a high school student from Pekan
\nBaro in restive Pidie regency, said.
\n(25\/50\/06\/41\/har\/edt\/jun\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/teachers-protest-turns-ugly-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}