Indonesia has enough teachers: Legislators
Indonesia has enough teachers: Legislators
JAKARTA (JP): Many legislators criticized the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) yesterday for routine complaints that the nation has a shortage of teachers when, they claim, there are sufficient numbers.
During a hearing with the union's leaders, several members of the House of Representatives' Commission IX said the problem lies in the poor distribution of teachers across the nation, with some parts having too many teachers and others having too few.
Increasing the number of teachers won't solve the problem, the legislators told the PGRI leaders.
"If their numbers were cut down and their overall organization rearranged, there would be no lack of teachers in the country," said Zarkasih Nur of Commission IX which oversees education.
Zarkasih then cited the more pressing problem of teacher welfare and the low salaries they continue to receive.
Many teachers spend a large amount of their time moonlighting just to make ends meet and therefore cannot fully concentrate on their job of teaching, he said.
"Is it true that this country doesn't have enough teachers? Some regions have this complaint, but others have enough -- if not an oversupply -- of them," he said.
PGRI, where membership is strictly voluntary, has recruited about 1.4 million of the country's total of 1.7 million teachers.
The 50-year-old union has been widely criticized from within and outside for its failure to improve the condition and welfare of its members. Many put the blame on its current leader, Basyuni Suriamiharja, who has held the post for 16 years.
Basyuni in his opening remarks at the hearing yesterday raised the question of a teacher shortage. He acknowledged that some areas may appear to have enough teachers, but he then brought up the serious problem of not enough qualified teachers.
Indonesia needs more teachers for subjects such as mathematics and science, he said.
Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction, suggested that the union, through the House, could propose a special directorate devoted entirely to looking after the interests of teachers.
This directorate could deal with all problems related to the profession, including their numbers, their distribution across the country, their quality and training and recruitment, Sukowaluyo said.
"Because of their poor salaries and welfare, teachers are losing the respect the profession ought to command in society. I think we need to redefine their status if we want them to have their dignity back like in the old days."
Zarkasih said the union leaders should fight harder to improve the welfare of their members. "PGRI should be bolder than it has been in the past." (pwn)