Students join teachers strike in C. Jakarta

Students join teachers strike in C. Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Some 350 students of a vocational school in
Central Jakarta joined teachers in a strike Monday. Their
teachers have been striking over the dismissal of the headmaster
by the school's board of management since Feb. 28.

Thirty-two teachers of the Ksatrya school of economics and
administration on Jl. Percetakan Negara have gone on strike as a
show of solidarity with the discharged headmaster, M. Effendi.

The students and teachers yesterday displayed posters saying
they would not go back to the classroom until Effendi had been
reinstated.

According to the teachers, Effendi was fired on Feb. 18 after
he submitted a proposal to the school board that Lebaran
allowance for teachers be raised and school facilities and
equipment be improved.

Effendi's dismissal enraged the teachers and they filed a vote
of no-confidence with the board on Feb. 28, saying that the
board's decision was unfair and it showed indifference toward
teachers' demands.

But the chairman of the foundation, Marsudi Kindar, said the
dispute between the foundation and the teachers should neither
end up in strike nor involve the students .

"I don't like the students being involved in this, but it
seems that the teachers have incited the students to also join
the strike. If the teaches have problems, they may just come to
me and we will sort it out together," Marsudi said.

Some teachers said they had tried to solve the problem in a
friendly manner but to no avail.

Marsudi said the foundation fired Effendi because he had
violated the school's regulations by accepting a position of
deputy headmaster in another school.

Marsudi said, however, that he had agreed to meet with
students yesterday afternoon to immediately end the dispute. (04)