Elementary schools get more teachers

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday the municipality would raise the number of elementary school teachers to make up for the shortage of more than 2,000 teachers.

He acknowledged that the government has imposed a zero-growth policy on civil servants, meaning that new personnel would be hired only in cases of employees' retirement or death.

However, he said, the policy was flexible in urgent circumstances.

"We are going to employ more elementary school teachers in Jakarta because this is essential to meet the compulsory education program of nine years," Surjadi said after attending a plenary session at City Council.

The city's agency in charge of elementary schools records more than 40,000 elementary school teachers throughout the city.

City Council speaker M.H. Ritonga said the government would keep evaluating the zero-growth policy based on demand.

"The policy is not a fixed one. Teachers are important in our education system to improve our human resources potential," Ritonga said.

He said the country needed more skilled and educationally prepared workers. (10)