DPR Approves Teachers’ Salaries
Monday, 04 December, 2006 | 12:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission for Education, Masduki Baidowi, said the plan to raise the functional subsidy for teachers has been discussed. “The budget is ready. What remains is to disburse it,” Masduki told Tempo yesterday (3/12). However, Masduki acknowledged he did not remember the amount of the budget for the subsidy.

According to the Director General of the Quality of Teachers and Education Fasli Djalal, the budget proposed by the National Education Department to raise teacher’s functional subsidy next year is Rp6.4 trillion. Functional subsidy for a state school teacher is minimum Rp500 thousand per month for the lowest rank and group. For a private school teacher, the payment is Rp500 thousand per month at the maximum. “The rise will be in stages,” said Fasli, Thursday (30/11).

Head of the Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) M. Surya hopes that the National Education Department’s plan to raise state and private school teacher’s salaries starting 2007 is not only an empty promise. “Don’t just talk. The previous promise was it would be given in early 2006,” said Surya yesterday (3/12).

According to Surya, in every forum of teachers, the teacher’s salary has been repeatedly discussed. “However, so far it has never been realized.” The government is asked to be concerned over the salary rise for teacher’s capacity building. Surya is worried that teachers will be apathetic and lose trust to the central government if the salary rise is delayed again.

REH ATEMALEM SUSANTI