Yahya promise fails to impress teachers

Yahya promise fails to impress teachers

JAKARTA (JP): Teachers on the government payroll continued
with their protests in Jakarta on Wednesday in spite of a promise
by Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin to fight on
their behalf and to try and double their salaries.

More than 2,000 teachers from Greater Jakarta rallied outside
the Presidential Palace to demand better wages while the Cabinet
was in session to avert the threat of a nationwide teachers
strike.

A national strike would coincide with preparations for
national final school exams next month, adding even more pressure
for the government to act. While a national strike this week
looks unlikely, some teachers say a series of actions would still
be held later this month, possibly starting on April 22.

Yahya told reporters after the Cabinet meeting led by Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri that he had proposed to Minister
of Finance Bambang Sudibyo a 100 percent increase in teaching
salaries.

He estimated that the proposal would cost the government an
additional Rp 18 trillion (US$2.4billion) in the nine-month
fiscal period beginning April 1.

He said he had no idea where that money would come from, but
insisted that the increase was necessary.

"I beg the teachers not to continue their strike. God willing,
the government will be able to improve their situation," he said.

The protesters, however, were not impressed by the promise and
many said they would continue with their agenda, including the
possibility of forcing schools to shut down.

Teachers from Greater Jakarta for the first time joined the
protests on Wednesday. All were wearing their Indonesian Teachers
Union (PGRI) batik uniforms.

Unlike their peers in other towns, their participation was
coordinated so that it did not disrupt the learning process. Each
school sent two representatives to the demonstration, which began
outside the presidential palace and ended at the House of
Representatives.

The protests, watched closely by police, went peacefully.

Five representatives were allowed inside the presidential
palace compound to give their message to Joko Setiono, a senior
official of the State Secretariat.

At the House of Representatives, the protesting teachers were
met by Speaker Akbar Tandjung who also promised to discuss their
demands with the government at the first opportunity.

"The House leadership has just had a meeting in which we
agreed to urge the government to raise the salaries of teachers,"
he said.

Promises failed to placate the teachers.

Arifin Rusmana, chairman of PGRI Jakarta chapter, said
teachers in Greater Jakarta area planned a series of actions
city-wide beginning on April 22 until their demands were met.

On April 22, teachers will be asked to stay away from classes
and let students learn by themselves. From April 24 to 26,
teachers will boycott classes and students will be asked to stay
home. This will be repeated from May 1 to 6 and again from May 8
to 20.

If these actions fail, PGRI Jakarta chapter plans a total
strike on May 22.

"Teachers are ready to face the consequences. It is not fair
to expect them to show dedication to their work while society
neglects their needs," Arifin said.

In Purwokerto, Central Java, the Banyumas Teacher Interaction
Forum (Figurmas) announced on Wednesday a plan for a strike on
May 2, coinciding with the National Education Day.

"All teachers in Banyumas regency will go on strike," the
forum said in a statement.

The announcement followed last week's protest by about 1,000
teachers demanding higher salaries.

"We know the strike will disrupt the learning process. But
this action is very important in the long run. Teachers cannot
work properly if they have to worry about putting food on the
table," Eko Purwanto, a teacher at STM Negeri Purwokerto, said.

In Bandung, West Java Vice Governor Dedem Ruchlia stated the
provincial administration sympathized with the teachers' demands
but said it was up to the central government to deal with the
matter.

Dedem said the administration would consider using soldiers as
substitute teachers if the strike went ahead.

Meanwhile, in Balaraja district, Tangerang, classes returned
to normal on Wednesday after the disruption a day before.

Wildan Chandra, who coordinated the protest on Tuesday, said
the teachers had decided to resume work while waiting for a
response from the government. (dja/rms/edt/asa/45/41/25)