Sampang needs 1,700 teachers

SAMPANG, East Java: Sampang needs 1,700 elementary school teachers for schools scattered throughout the regency on Madura Island, Antara reported yesterday.

The news agency quoted Regent Fadhillah Budiono as calling on unemployed graduates of teachers' training colleges to fill the vacancies. "We will provide them with special incentives," Fadhillah said, but did not elaborate on what kind of incentives.

Many elementary school teachers in the regency left their jobs and went back to their hometowns in Java following rioting in the regency during the general election campaign last May.

Many schools only have two teachers for hundreds of students. (rms)