Fate of elementary school teachers

Fate of elementary school teachers

From Warta Kota

Most people probably remember the demonstrations by teachers throughout Indonesia earlier this year. Their aspirations and goals were that their welfare be improved.

As we know, teachers' incomes do not comply at all with daily needs. On top of this, there is still a cutting of their income which further constricts their budgets.

It is known that every teacher and civil servant receives a rice allowance, but they only receive 45 kg, because it is cut by the Indonesian Teachers' Association (PGRI) Cooperative Management. Fortunately, since the reform the 50 kg rice allowance has been replaced with money of about Rp 120,000. This has been in effect since April, 2000.

In addition, the government has promised to hike teachers' salaries by 300 percent, but it turns out only the functional allowance was given. This deviates very much from the commitment.

Factually, the teachers only want a basic salary hike of 100 percent, nothing else. But in my opinion if teachers' welfare is continually neglected, and they have to overcome themselves their welfare problem, their spirit for teaching might decline. They will place more emphasize on their side jobs to meet their daily needs.

Now prices of basic commodities are going up among other things because the government has bragged about the teachers' salary hike. But up to now teachers' salaries remain unchanged. How can education in Indonesia be improved if teachers' fates are of no concern?

KARTIKA MARISKHANA

Jakarta