Condescension towards teachers

Condescension towards teachers

From Kompas

At the awards ceremony of the Indonesian Sinetron (television films) Festival on Dec. 19, master of ceremonies Dono, of the Warkop group, took a condescending attitude towards the teaching profession when introducing Adi and Iyut Bing Slamet. Dono said they had initially wanted to become teachers but instead became artists because their income is far higher in comparison with teachers' pay.

Although the low pay of teachers is a fact, such words should not have been spoken by an actor of Dono's class in front of a minister and nationwide television audience.

We have all been taught (Dono no exception, I expect) since childhood to respect teachers. It has also become a slogan in this country that "a teacher is a hero without an order of merit."

I am not a teacher myself, but my father was. He has worked as a teacher for more than 25 years and nobody has ever insulted his profession.

I feel insulted that my father's noble profession has been insulted by a public figure like Dono.

M. SOLEH

Jakarta