To meritorious teachers

To meritorious teachers

From Pikiran Rakyat

I have five children, all university graduates, and four
grandchildren. Let me suggest a few things to the teachers now
struggling to improve their living conditions.

1) I am very concerned to learn that teachers, meaning those
who have completed their teacher's training secondary school
(SPG) education and have been teaching dozens of years as non-
permanent teachers, earn only about Rp 70,000 a month.

Teachers have to fight for raises in their salaries to make
the regional minimum wage in Bekasi, Rp 300,000 a month.

2) I am also concerned to find out that almost a hundred
thousand teachers have taken to the streets in Jakarta. This is
just like going to war, like the epic Bharatayuda.

3) It is a pity that students of the elementary schools,
junior secondary schools and senior secondary schools, who
greatly outnumber teachers already, have had to study in combined
classes, a less effective learning process than when a complete
teaching staff is available.

One indeed must understand the financial capabilities of the
Republic of Indonesia at present.

Now look at the situation facing farmers.

During the four months of the harvest season, the rice yield
is an average of three tons. Divide this into two halves with the
owner of the rice field and deduct the result with about 0.5 tons
for the cost of fertilizers, pesticides and seedlings. The net
yield is one ton per four months. At harvest time a ton can fetch
Rp 700,000. A farmer is usually assisted by two children and one
wife (or three helpers). In one season (four months with 25
working days a month) there are 3 x 4 x 45 working days/person =
300 working days per person. So, a farmer will earn per working
day only Rp 700,000: 3,000 = Rp 2,300.

Hopefully, the nation's farmers will never think of going on
strike, otherwise we'll all be in big trouble.

H.E. Herman

Bandung