Minister criticizes teachers over strike

Minister criticizes teachers over strike

JAKARTA (JP): Debates on whether teachers are justified in
going on strike continue as Minister of National Education Abdul
Malik Fajar expressed displeasure with a series of recent
widespread teachers' strikes to demand their six-months of back
pay.

But an official of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) argued
that teachers saw no other choice but to strike to make the
government disburse their back pay.

Malik Fajar said here on Friday that it was inappropriate for
teachers to strike because they were expected to set a good
example for their students.

"Being an educator is very honorable and invaluable. If
teachers strike to demand their back pay, it is against the
spirit of their profession," Malik Fajar was quoted by Antara as
saying.

He argued that teachers who went on strike should rethink
their choice of profession, that they should be role models to
their students as well as consider solving problems through
dialog.

"A teacher is not the same as a worker or an employee. As
educators they should set an example, educate and teach students
so that they become intelligent, skilled and have a good morals,"
the minister quipped.

Thousands of teachers have gone on strike in a number of
regions over the last few weeks after regional administrations
failed to meet their demand over back pay, which is from a salary
increase effective as of January this year.

Both central and local administrations have claimed the other
is responsible for the back pay.

Malik Fajar said the strikes reflected immaturity on the
teachers' part. "Through dialog, teachers would set an example
for their students on how to act properly and democratically, and
it would not disrupt the teaching-learning processes," he said.

Responding to the minister's criticism, PGRI secretary-general
Sulaeman S.B. Ismaya said that teachers were not happy about
deserting the classroom to join the strikes.

However, they were forced to because demands for their rights
were being ignored, Sulaeman said.

"The teachers are just like other people. We need what other
people need," Sulaeman told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Sulaeman further explained that the teachers went on strike
because they were desperate and realized there was no other
choice.

Other ways had been tried, including holding talks with
members of the regional legislative council and officials at
local administrations.

"We want to listen to their arguments. We want to know if they
face difficulties," Sulaeman said. (02)