Teachers of next generation ponder the day's catch

By Ida Indhawati Khouw

May 2, yesterday, is National Education Day. With the republic almost 53 years old, development of national education still lags behind that of the economy. This has caused a decline in the quality of education, from elementary school to higher learning institutes, throughout the country. Following are three articles on education.

JAKARTA (JP): Educating children today is about preparing them for the next millennium. But in the Thousand Islands, in North Jakarta, a teacher wakes up thinking how many fish he might catch after class.

Here, teachers still live on a wage of barely Rp 3,000 a day, much less than the earnings of a parking attendant. But then a parking attendant does not have to be a role model to students and prepare them for globalization.

When asked whether he thought about upgrading his teaching skills, Mohammad Dani said he had no time for such considerations.

"Every day I just teach the students and fish when class is over," he said while keeping an eye on a neat line of his students.

The students were standing tall and ready to cheer on Governor Sutiyoso even though his entourage was still 30 minutes away from Pramuka Island.

Some 20 elementary, junior high and senior high school teachers, even those with years of experience, are paid Rp 25,000 per month -- or even less if parents fail to pay the monthly school fees -- plus a city subsidy of Rp 500 for each hour they teach.

Dani, who teaches at Pramuka Island -- which has the only senior high school in the Thousands Islands, complained about the skyrocketing price of fishing equipment.

A fishing rod which was Rp 400 is now Rp 900, while hooks which were Rp 50 have soared tenfold, Dani said.

The teachers fish with their students' parents, and are keenly aware how little they earn, so they understand why fees are paid late.

"It's a good day now if a fisherman earns Rp 5,000," Dani said. "(With the jump in food prices), parents are increasingly putting off paying the monthly Rp 1,500 elementary school fees."

Food prices here are the same as in Tangerang and Jakarta. Island residents can go a week without vegetables if vendors from the mainland do not turn up, a local woman said.

No one would be able to guess the plight of teachers judging from the nice school building, which is in a much better condition than the many lopsided, on-the-verge-of-collapse structures in many parts of Greater Jakarta.

The island's senior high school, SMU 69, has the standard basketball field and other sports equipment including those for wrestling.

Future

The clean, white uniforms students are wearing concealed any doubts about their future.

"I don't know whether I can continue my studies, it's up to my parents," a bashful daughter of a fisherman, who lives in Untung Jawa Island, said.

Students from other islands live in the school's dormitory and save time and money on boat trips from home.

The issues of schooling and survival on the island were spelled out to Governor Sutiyoso, who appeared aghast once he realized how much teachers were paid.

"It's unbelievable, how can they finance their life with such pay," he said while his entourage hurried along.

The SMU 69 principal, Bambang Suprapto, asked the governor to improve the teachers' salaries as most were still paid on a honorarium basis. He suggested teachers receive an amount equal to the city subsidy of Rp 160,000.

A minimum monthly wage in the city is now Rp 172,500, but even the added subsidy would still find teachers dashing off after class to fish.

Maybe the Governor provided some relief when he said emergency funds could be allocated for them.

"I have a standby fund which a governor can use anytime he considers it necessary," he said. "Please tell me if the fund does not reach you."

With little hope of a pay rise teachers resort to moonlighting, as do many civil servants or any other lowly paid employees.

Unlike teachers in other parts of the city, those in the Thousand Islands lament that their only choice is to join the fishermen.

Still, Dani thanks his lucky stars.

"I'm still single ... my friends have such a hard time thinking of how to feed their families on such a small wage."