Teachers protest over belated payment

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Some 80 part-time teachers in Marangkayu district, Kutai Kartanegara regency, staged a protest late on Thursday in front of the regental administration offices.

They were protesting as they say they have not been paid by the local government for the last 16 months.

The 80 part-time teachers were representing some 160 part time teachers in the regency. They are supposed to be paid Rp 600,000 per month.

Mansyur, a protest coordinator, said that the teachers had recently visited the offices of the Marangkayu district chief to press their demands. As their efforts were unsuccessful, they decided to stage a protest at the offices of the Kutai Kartanegara regent on Friday to step up the pressure against the local government.

Kutai Kartanegara Education Office director Idrus S.Y said that the local government was seeking a solution to the problem. -- JP