Madrasah teachers complain of low salaries
Madrasah teachers complain of low salaries
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Some 1,772 madrasah (Muslim school) teachers employed on a
noncontractual basis in Tangerang complained that the city
administration had given no attention to the fact that they
received a very low salary.
Casual teachers of 96 Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (Muslim elementary
schools), 45 Madrasah Tsanawiyah (Muslim junior high schools) and
32 Madrasah Aliyah (Muslim senior high schools) only receive an
average of about Rp 150,000 (US$15) per month, far below the
monthly minimum wage of Rp 426,250 in Greater Jakarta.
Maswandi, 34, who has been teaching at a private Madrasah
Ibtidaiyah on Jl. Maulana Hasanuddin in Cipondoh district of
Tangerang for five years, noted that he only received Rp 80,000
per month from the school. To make ends meet, he moonlighted as a
motorcycle taxi driver.
"Fortunately, I can use my old motorcycle as a taxi. After
school, I can ngojek (take passengers on his motorcycle) until
evening. My salary as a teacher is just not enough to support my
family," he told The Jakarta Post here last week.
He said that his salary as a casual teacher was only about
one-tenth of that earned by state teachers.
"At the Islamic school, teachers are paid Rp 3,500 per hour.
We can teach for 10 hours, on average, within a week. In a month,
we teach for 40 hours on average. So, we only get Rp 140,000
every month," a teacher, who asked not to be identified, also
told The Post.
The 40-year old teacher, who has been teaching for three years
at a Madrasah Tsanawiyah on Jl. KH. Hasyim Asyari, said that he
had not decided whether to get married yet because he was not
sure if he would be able to support a wife and family on such a
low salary.
Separately, Romdony, the secretary of Communication Forum for
Casual Madrasah Teachers in Tangerang, said the forum had
presented a proposal early this month to the Tangerang
Administration for an additional incentive for the teachers.
He said that casual teachers at state schools received a
monthly incentive of Rp 75,000 from the Ministry of National
Education.
The 28-year-old father of a two-year-old daughter, who has
been teaching for eight years at Buaran State Madrasah Ibtidaiyah
in Babakan, Tangerang, confirmed that he also received a salary
of Rp 150,000 per month, which he claimed was only enough to
cover transportation expenses.
"Fortunately my wife Halimah Sadiah also works. To meet my
family's daily needs, I also teach at Cikokol state elementary
school and earn another Rp 150,000 per month," he told The Post
last week.
Romdoni, who can only afford to rent a simple house for Rp
160,000 per month, also moonlights as a book supplier for four
schools in Tangerang. He could gain Rp 1 million from the book
sales each quarter.
In addition, he also has two private students, whose parents
pay him Rp 75,000 each per month.
"We, madrasah teachers are just like state school teachers who
are dedicated to the future of children in Tangerang, therefore
we expect the administration to pay attention to us," he said.
In contrast to madrasah school teachers' poor wages, local
councillors who enjoy a monthly salary of Rp 12 million seem
unconcerned about improving the teachers' welfare.
Tangerang Council's Deputy Chairman, Burhanudin, said that the
budget allocation for the teachers' incentives was dependent on
Tangerang's local revenue, which he said had been allocated for
other purposes.
"But when the councillors demanded an additional allowance
recently they were very brazen and they never related it to local
revenue," Nursaiyah, 25, a teacher of Cikokol state elementary
school remarked.