Soeharto calls for respect for teachers

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto appealed yesterday to the nation, especially students at schools and universities, to show the highest respect toward teachers.

There is a tendency among some members of society to be disrespectful to teachers, Soeharto said at a ceremony marking National Teachers Day.

"On this happy occasion, I'd like to appeal to all of us -- particularly students -- to go back to our rooted tradition of giving the highest respect to teachers," he said in the ceremony at Senayan Sports Hall.

The nation's tradition places teachers in the highest echelon of society along with religious leaders and intellectuals, he said.

"They (teachers) are the torch that lights up civilization," he said to the thousands of teachers at the ceremony.

National Teachers Day coincided with the anniversary of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) which turned 51 yesterday.

The ceremony was also held to mark International Teachers Day which fell on Oct. 5, organizers said.

Teaching, once regarded a noble and highly sought after profession, has become one of the lowest paid jobs in Indonesia. A PGRI official who has been a teacher for 40 years said in an RCTI interview on Tuesday that her monthly salary comes to Rp 400,000.

While Indonesia has succeeded in promoting universal education through compulsory education programs and building more schools, the welfare of teachers appears to have trailed behind the nation's economic development.

More recently, stories abound about school students harassing and attacking their teachers.

President Soeharto underscored the role teachers play in the future of the nation, stressing that education is the key to a strong and independent nation.

"A good national education system depends not only on the presence of facilities and infrastructure, but more importantly on a pool of qualified teachers.

"Education needs massive funding and that is why the national education budget has been increased from year to year.

"We are all resolved to continue strengthening the welfare of teachers, especially those who dedicate their lives to working in remote areas," Soeharto said.

The President said the contribution teachers gave to society before and after Indonesia's independence in 1945 made them "fighters".

"Teachers are heroes without medals.

"Their spirit, candor, and tireless dedication have now born fruit, a new generation with better education background, intelligence and health," Soeharto said. (emb)