Many teachers go truant

Many teachers go truant

PANIAI, Irian Jaya: Around 200 elementary school teachers in this hinterland have misused health reports to escape their duties, Antara reported yesterday.

The head of the local office of the Ministry of Education and Culture, J.B. Soerono, said most of the teachers visited health workers complaining of made-up ailments, requested recommendations to go to the hospital in the capital of the regency, Nabire, and disappeared for months.

Soerono said his office has decided to teach the teachers a lesson by withholding their salaries. "This is an effort to improve their discipline and remind them that this region is still facing a shortage of teachers."

There are currently 1,808 school teachers in the regency for 31,372 students in 283 elementary schools. (swe)