Minahasa teachers on strike over salary hike

Minahasa teachers on strike over salary hike

MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): Children attending schools in
Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, received no lessons on Friday
and Saturday as thousands of teachers in the area went on strike
for having received no rise in their salaries since January 2001.

The kindergarten, primary and secondary school teachers said
they would continue their strike until the local administration
met their demands for higher salaries.

Decky Mamalu, a Langowan state high school teacher who was
speaking on behalf of his colleagues, told The Jakarta Post in
Minahasa that a salary hike which was supposed to have entered
into effect in January had still not been paid.

The Minahasa teachers also demanded that the local
administration return responsibility for the payment of teachers'
salaries to the central government.

The demand, made in writing, was also addressed to the
relevant agencies in the North Sulawesi provincial administration
and the central government, as the regency authorities had given
no response to the teachers' grievances.

"We don't intend to neglect our pupils but we simply have to
meet out daily needs and assert our rights," Decky argued, adding
that teachers in Manado, Bitung and Bolaang Mangondow had
received the salary increase.

The strike, according to Decky, was organized by the
Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Principals of Minahasa
Consultative Body.

Asked to confirm the delayed salary hike, head of the
province's national education office Dirk P. Togas told The
Jakarta Post in Manado that the payment of teachers' salaries
came under regency authority, except for teachers in high
schools.

However, he said his office was coordinating with the regency
authorities to resolve the dispute.

"I have visited Minahasa to carry out inspections and seek a
solution to this issue, which hopefully can be resolved within a
few days," he said.

Minahasa Regent Dolfy Tanor was unavailable for comment. (48)