Government poised to improve teachers' welfare

Government poised to improve teachers' welfare

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid assured teachers'
nationwide that he would realize their calls for better pay, but
insisted that the demanded 500 percent increase in allowance and
300 percent increase in basic salary was totally unrealistic.

Quoting the President, who met with a group of teachers from
Central Java at Bina Graha Presidential Office on Wednesday,
Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said the government
with its limited financial resources simply does not have the
capacity to meet these demands.

The President said as a former teacher himself, he fully
understood the teachers' complaints, but as the country's leader
he also must weigh the interests of other civil servants.

Abdurrahman urged the country's teachers to go back to work
because students were awaiting their presence.

Before receiving the teachers, the President earlier in the
morning presided over a Cabinet meeting that focused on the
widespread teachers' protests.

Boycott

After Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Marsilam
Simajuntak said the Cabinet agreed to improve teachers welfare
but all would be pending the arrival of Minister of Finance
Bambang Sudibyo.

While the government wants to raise teachers' salaries, the
House has already approved this year's budget. Thus any increase
must be worked out with the minister of finance.

"We can only make a decision after the arrival of Minister of
Finance Bambang Sudibyo on April 21 from abroad," Marsilam
insisted.

It is expected that the government will concede to a 100
percent to 200 percent increase in allowances for teachers.

Meanwhile the Chairman of the Indonesian Teachers Union
(PGRI), Muhammad Surya told The Jakarta Post the organization has
issued an official statement saying that it will no longer
condone mass teachers' rallies.

More importantly he said PGRI would not support a boycott of
national year end examinations (EBTANAS).

"We have issued an official letter that we will not conduct
anymore mass rallies or other actions violating regulations,"
Muhammad said.

The Head of the PGRI Jakarta chapter, Abdul Rochim, also gave
assurance that teachers in the capital would not boycott the
important year end exams.

"We promise not to abandon our students and even if we decide
to rally again we will arrange it so that each school only sends
representatives so it will not hamper school activities," Abdul
told reporters on Wednesday.

EBTANAS exams are due to be held across the country starting
next month. Elementary schools will hold examinations from June 5
to 7; junior high schools from May 29 to 31, and senior high
schools from May 29 to June 2.

The Chairman of the Catholic Education Board, Louise
Coldenhoss also pledged that Catholic schools across the country
will not boycott year end examinations.

"It is appropriate to fight for teachers' welfare but it
should not hurt the students. We are definitely going to conduct
the national end of term examinations as scheduled," Louise told
the Post on Wednesday.

However, in Makassar, South Sulawesi, teachers called on their
colleagues to strike on May 2, National Education Day, and
boycott year end exams if the government does not respond to
teachers' demands.

The threat was announced in a huge rally on Wednesday
involving at least 1,000 teachers from 24 regencies in the
province. It was the third protest this month.

In a related development, some 300 teachers in the Central
Java capital of Semarang staged a street demonstration at Simpang
Lima demanding a 300 percent increase in allowances. They also
urged the government to give overtime pay for elementary school
teachers.

The street rally ended after the teachers held a dialog with
provincial legislators at the legislative council office.
(27/har/sur/dja/jun/prb/byg)