Teachers told to upload idealism

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.