Plan to attract academics to public service supported
Plan to attract academics to public service supported
JAKARTA (JP): A senior government official yesterday came out
in support of a proposal to offer better incentives to holders of
masters and doctorates wanting to pursue careers as teachers or
civil servants.
Director General of Higher Learning Bambang Soehendro said the
starting salary and positions offered to these people should be
higher than they are at present.
The civil service is currently not proving attractive to those
with higher degrees because they receive the same salary as
graduates.
"Higher degree holders should start at a higher level than
graduates, otherwise it's unfair," Bambang told reporters.
The Indonesian civil service's position and salary scale goes
from Ia to IVe. A new government employee with an elementary
school diploma starts at 1A with an initial monthly salary of Rp
78,000 (US$33).
Graduates and holders of higher degrees both start at IIIa
with a monthly salary of Rp 150,200. Comparative starting wages
in private companies are often 10 times this.
"I totally agree with the suggestion that the position of
those with higher degrees who enter the civil service or teachers
should be improved," Bambang said.
The suggestion to improve the position and well-being of
higher degree holders entering the civil service was made by the
rector of the University of Indonesia, M.K. Tadjudin, Saturday.
Tadjudin said that the low salaries offered by the government
has deterred the very well qualified from joining the civil
service, including pursuing a career as a teacher.
Tadjudin proposed that holders of higher degrees should start
at higher levels -- IIIb for those with masters degrees and IIIc
for those with doctorates -- in the government bureaucracy.
Bambang proposed that until Indonesia has the necessary
regulations, higher graduates should also be given the
opportunity for speedy promotion if they perform well.
"Higher degree holders' credit points may be obtained from
their achievements in education and research, such as having
their work published in academic journals," Bambang said.
At present, he said, many post-graduates do not conduct
research. "If they do, they can get more credit points from their
research," he added.
According to government regulations, civil servants, including
teachers at state schools, can be promoted every two years.
Yesterday, 16 universities and 11 companies signed an
agreement as part of the promotion of the link-and-match program,
in which students work under an apprenticeship scheme in the
firms.
Selected students will work in the companies for between one
and two semesters. They will be treated just like other
employees, receiving salaries or even getting fired. (31)