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)