School superintendents reject pay

School superintendents reject pay

MEDAN, North Sumatra: At least 116 superintendents of junior and
senior high schools in North Sumatra have refused their monthly
salaries to protest a decision to cut their allowances starting
this month.

The school supervisors, employed by the province's education
office, lodged on Monday a complaint to the local legislative
council in the North Sumatra capital of Medan.

The protesters were not able to meet North Sumatra Governor T.
Rizal Nurdin earlier in the day to voice their grievances.

F.J. Pinem, who chairs the provincial branch of the Indonesian
School Supervisors' Association, said the payment of allowances
was unilaterally discontinued by the government without any clear
reasons.

"The allowances have been suspended until we can submit proof
of their appointment in the form of certificates issued by the
provincial education office," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said the requirement was peculiar as the supervisors had
occupied the post for decades.

In response, local councillor Erwan Parlinda told the
superintendents that the legislature would soon question the
governor about the reason behind the move to suspend the
allowances. --JP