Primary school teachers 'deserve raises'

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)