JP/5/TUNA

The plight of teachers at Surabaya schools for disabled

Indra Harsaputra The Jakarta Post/Surabaya

Dina Ambarwati was elated when she was hired as a teacher's assistant at School No. 99 for the Disabled in Surabaya.

After working there for some time, she also was happy to learn that visually impaired students had the same hopes and aspirations as any other person.

"I'm pleased because my effort in teaching the blind students has been rewarded. They are very enthusiastic to gain the same opportunities as any other person," she said.

However, she said that some of the students still had to deal with emotional stress. They usually feel left out, even by their own families, as was the case with Ali, a student at the school.

Ali comes from a reputable family. His father is a high- ranking official in one of the municipalities in East Java. He was sent to the boarding school when he was very young. His family, however, seldom visits him, only calling him up once in a while. He said his family disregards him.

A lack of parental attention influenced his attitude toward life. He first had difficulties interacting with his surroundings.

He did not used not play with fellow students, much less speak with them. He often found it hard to follow lessons and sometimes cried for no apparent reason.

"That is the challenge. A teacher has to be able to interact closely with the students, so that they will be motivated to live complete lives in the future," said Dina.

Due to the help of teachers, Ali has changed now. He is no longer an introvert and has the enthusiasm to accomplish his ideals of becoming a teacher.

"Besides teaching, the pride of being a teacher for the blind is being able to motivate pupils to live like any other person in a society that shuns those considered 'not normal'", said Dina.

A teacher's aide like Desutandry, however, usually earns a salary of Rp 460,000 per month, which is actually lower than the provincial minimum wage of Rp 570,000 per month.

If the aides can pass the admission test to become a civil servant, they can improve their earnings, because according to the new employment rules, an assistant teacher must first be appointed as a civil servant before being assigned as a teacher.

Desutandry and Dina are considered more fortunate compared to those who could not pass the civil servant exam, which does not allow anybody with a disability to take it, as was the case for other bureaucrat hopefuls, Wuri Handayani, Atung, Ismawati and Abdul.

Desutandry and Dina, who are able-bodied, will still have a chance take the civil servant admission test, but the four physically handicapped people were not even given a chance as they failed to meet the government-mandated health requirements.

Wuri was rejected when she applied a job as a bookkeeper at the Surabaya municipal administration on Nov. 6 because she requires a wheelchair to move about.

Atung was turned down as a teacher because he is blind.

Wuri has taken her case to the State Administrative Court in Surabaya and accused Surabaya Mayor Bambang DH with discrimination against physically challenged people. "I will continue to fight for the rights of physically challenged people until they have equal rights with all other people," said Wuri.