Primary school teachers 'deserve raises'

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Primary school teachers deserve a salary increase due to the tougher challenges they take on compared to those who teach at high school, an observer said.

Suyatno, the rector of Yogyakarta State University, insisted on Wednesday that teaching elementary pupils was much harder than teaching high school students.

"From an education point of view, an elementary school teacher has to master every faculty, not to mention possessing singing and drawing abilities, while a high school teacher has to specialize in only one certain subject," Suyatno said.

He was commenting on the government plan to raise the salaries of primary school teachers, which was announced by Minister of Education Yahya Muhaimin in Bandung recently.

Suyatno suggested that the government take special criteria into consideration for improving the salaries of elementary teachers, such as their experience and background in education.

"Such an arrangement is needed to prevent envy among teachers and to create a fair remuneration system," he said.

During his visit to the West Java capital on Tuesday, Yahya said his office was working to provide better pay for elementary school teachers as part of the efforts to improve the quality of teaching.

The minister, however, did not elaborate.

The current basic salary of a teacher resembles that of a civil servant, which is based on rank.

The Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) has repeatedly demanded an exclusive payment system for teachers, but there has been no response from the government.

Among the benefits proposed by the ministry is to increase the teachers' monthly allowance. A second grade teacher would receive Rp 70,000 from the previous Rp 45,000, a third level would earn Rp 80,000 from Rp 55,000 and the fourth Rp 95,000 from Rp 60,000.

Yahya also suggested that elementary school teachers be given incentives; for example, receiving compensation for teaching extra hours.

"This pay is currently given only to junior and senior high school teachers. We will revise the ruling so elementary teachers can at least get equal treatment.

"It's about time elementary teachers enjoy a better salary as they do a tremendous job of teaching pupils at an early age, which is vital to children's future," he said.

Unlike the past, the salary will also be transferred directly to each school in a bid to avoid complicated bureaucracy and possible graft. (27/swa/edt)