Restore teachers' dignity, Soeharto tells the nation

Restore teachers' dignity, Soeharto tells the nation

SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): President Soeharto urged the nation yesterday to restore the respect and dignity that teachers once commanded in society.

Speaking during a commemoration of National Teachers Day, Soeharto said most young people now shun the profession because of the low pay associated with teaching jobs.

"Many of our young people do not see teaching as the respected profession that it once was," Soeharto said at the ceremony, held at the Sriwedari sports stadium and attended by more than 20,000 teachers from all over the country.

The occasion also marked the 50th anniversary of the Indonesian Teachers Association, which boasts more than 1.6 million members.

"If teachers are given a respected place in the hearts of the people and if teachers receive good salaries, then young people are bound to be attracted to the profession," Soeharto said.

He said society should think up of ways of showing their appreciation for teachers, particularly by raising their living standards.

The government -- the single largest employer of teachers -- cannot be expected to carry this out alone, Soeharto said, adding that parents, and society as a whole, should contribute.

The government has already provided additional allowances for its teachers on top of those received by fellow civil servants. There are also financial incentives for teachers working in remote villages.

But overall, officials admit that teaching salaries are among the lowest of fixed income earners. It is common for teachers to take on a second or third job to make ends meet.

Soeharto said most people take up the teaching profession "because of a call of duty and a call from the heart".

But even so, society must provide them with proper remuneration. "With good incomes, teachers could devote all their attention to their pupils."

Turning his attention to the pupils, he urged them to give teachers their highest respect.

"Teachers are like a torch that provides light and guidance in your life. They dedicate themselves for your advancement and for your future.

"Quite a few of your teachers lead simple and modest lives ... If you succeed later in life, your teachers will continue to be simple and modest people. The services your teachers render for your future is something that you can never pay back."

Soeharto reminded those who work in the education sector that education means a lot more than simply teaching or conveying knowledge.

The aim of education in Indonesia goes beyond "producing intelligent people," he said. "Education is intended to form the character of children that truly reflects the identity of the nation, he said.

Among those present at the ceremony were the chief representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Stephen Hill, Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, PGRI Chairman Basyuni Suriamihardja and Central Java Governor Soewardi.

Hill said in his speech that the challenge facing Indonesian teachers is to prepare their students to face a fiercely competitive world.

"This condition certainly needs qualified and reliable students, especially in their education, skills and moral integrity," Hill said.

Basyuni said PGRI has long fought to improve teacher wages. "But because of the government's budgetary constraints, we teachers have to be patient," he said. (har/31)