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)