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)