Govt to recruit contract teachers

JAKARTA: The Ministry of National Education will hire 190,174 teachers on a four-year basis by July 1 to fulfill the high demand for kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school and high school teachers across the country.

The ministry's Director of Educators, Suwondo, said the teachers had been selected among 400,000 applicants after written tests and interviews conducted last month.

About 150,000 teachers will be posted at state schools, while the rest will be assigned to private schools. Most of the teachers will teach elementary school classes.

The teachers will receive Rp 460,000 (US$51) in monthly salary from the state, while extra benefits will come from regions where they will be placed.

According to the Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy, education matters, including hiring of teachers and school buildings, are under regional authority.

But most of the regions are unable to comply with the law due to financial shortcomings. --Antara