Teachers told to upload idealism

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fajar criticized the country's teachers on Tuesday for demanding that the government issue rulings that would help improve their welfare.

Speaking at a seminar marking the launching of a national campaign titled Education for All here on Tuesday, Malik said being a teacher was a calling that required dedication and sacrifice.

"Your duty as a teacher is to serve the public and PGRI is designed to build teacher professionalism, not a place to seek facilities," said Malik referring to the Association of Indonesian Teachers (PGRI).

Minister Malik was responding to the demands by Indonesian teachers, aired by the PGRI leadership, that the government pay greater attention to their welfare.

"Teachers should be secured physically and financially in transferring knowledge to students," said PGRI chairman W.D.F. Rindorindo in the same seminar.

According to Rindorindo, most teachers throughout the country received unreasonably low salaries.

"Some kindergarten teachers in remote areas get paid Rp 50,000 (about US$5) per month," Rindorindo said without elaborating.

However Malik emphasized that becoming a teacher was a profession inspired by idealism, and that could not be expressed in monetary terms.

"So, don't become a teacher if you have no idealism," Malik said.

The Education for All campaign was initiated by teachers belonging to the PGRI and its aim was to remind the government of its commitment to provide education for all people regardless their gender, ability, race, religion or social background.

Rindorindo highlighted the role of teachers as the government's partner in developing the country.

"Without qualified teachers, there will be no qualified human resources, which means no development in the country," he said.

Rindorindo also called on the government to enact a law on teacher protection as more and more teachers in some areas receive physical abuse from students or parents.

"We need a law for teachers to regulate teachers' technical work and welfare, including their career development and remuneration," he said.

He also said the government should increase its budget for education by up to 25 percent of the country's development budget.

"Currently we just get 3.6 percent from the development budget while other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations allocate at least 20 percent of their respective budgets," Rindorindo said.

The association, according to Rindorindo, would ask the government to pay attention to the education sector especially after the implementation of regional autonomy on January 1, 2001.

"The regions now are powerful. We are afraid the regional administrations will make policies that could harm education programs," said Rindorindo, adding that PGRI should be involved in drafting educational policies that would apply nationwide.

"PGRI is a trade union. We will the methods available to us to express our opinion: Either negotiation, demonstration or strike," he warned.

According to Rindorindo, Indonesian teachers were already tired of praises and comforting words.

"We need to be appreciated in ways other than just praise. We have heard a lot of praise but we don't get appropriate financial remuneration," he said, adding that the association would meet with members of the House of Representatives and the Education Minister on May 2 to show the teachers' concern over the national education condition and the welfare of teachers throughout the country.