Teachers bear burden for teaching ideology

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday reminded school teachers of their heavy responsibility in teaching the national ideology of Pancasila to their pupils.

"The teachers must have deep convictions about the truth of Pancasila so that they can discuss the matter with their pupils from the primary to the high school level," Soeharto was reported to have said during a meeting with leaders of PGRI, the teachers union.

Seven executives of the PGRI board, lead by chairman Basyuni Suriamiharja, met with the President yesterday at Bina Graha to discuss the union's upcoming congress in Jakarta. Soeharto has agreed to open the congress which will run from July 4 to July 9.

Soeharto called for special attention from teachers about the teaching of Pancasila at the high school level. "Make sure these children can grasp the meaning of Pancasila so that they can be spared from being drawn into accepting other ideologies."

Pancasila is a compulsory subject in all schools up through the end of high school. (17)