Pekanbaru, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told teachers he will do his best to improve their welfare but asked them not to take part in rallies to make demands.
"Students will be confused as to who should be teaching them if you join demonstrations," he said while addressing the commemoration of National Teachers' Day here Sunday.<>
The date coincided with the 62nd anniversary of the Indonesian Union of Teachers (PGRI) at the Rumbai Sport Center in Pekanbaru.
Teachers are relative newcomers to rallies since the fall of Soeharto, and have managed to win a suit filed with the Constitutional Court, which asserted that the Constitutional requirement that at least 20 percent of the state budget be spent on education be upheld
Yudhoyono said increased welfare for teachers was a high priority.
"With all our limitations the government will continue to increase the quality of education," Yudhoyono said. "We want Indonesian citizens to be (part of) a dignified and progressive, competitive nation. One way is by increasing the teacher's welfare and competence," he said, adding his gratitude to all teachers.
Addressing another unresolved issue among teachers, he said in two years all non permanent teachers would be civil servants, adding that this year more than 351,000 teachers' assistants have become civil servants. Many teachers say they have worked for years in dire conditions without regular pay, pending their promotion to become civil servants.
Representatives from Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darrusalam were invited to the anniversary, where awards were given to teachers and authorities.
Union chairman Muhammad Surya expressed gratitude over the certification program of teachers, saying it would ensure standardization of teaching staff.
Apart from increasing standards they said the program "would increase the dignity, professionalism and welfare of teachers."
Riau Governor Rusli Zainal said administrations across the province had committed themselves to setting aside at least 20 percent for education from their respective budgets.
Critics have said this becomes unrealistic for poorer provinces which are expected to improve public services. Riau itself is rich in oil.
Rusli said the budget prioritizes primary education, eradication of illiteracy, school buildings and protection against drop outs.
He proudly said the effort in the province was paying off. "A student managed to win the gold medal in the Physics Olympics in Singapore in 1995; last year another became second runner up at the Astronomy Olympics in Beijing," Rusli said.
He said the administration has spent Rp 26 billion on the training and further education of some 20,000 teachers. (jp/dar)
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told teachers he will do his best to improve their welfare but asked them not to take part in rallies to make demands.
"Students will be confused as to who should be teaching them if you join demonstrations," he said while addressing the commemoration of National Teachers' Day here Sunday.<>
The date coincided with the 62nd anniversary of the Indonesian Union of Teachers (PGRI) at the Rumbai Sport Center in Pekanbaru.
Teachers are relative newcomers to rallies since the fall of Soeharto, and have managed to win a suit filed with the Constitutional Court, which asserted that the Constitutional requirement that at least 20 percent of the state budget be spent on education be upheld
Yudhoyono said increased welfare for teachers was a high priority.
"With all our limitations the government will continue to increase the quality of education," Yudhoyono said. "We want Indonesian citizens to be (part of) a dignified and progressive, competitive nation. One way is by increasing the teacher's welfare and competence," he said, adding his gratitude to all teachers.
Addressing another unresolved issue among teachers, he said in two years all non permanent teachers would be civil servants, adding that this year more than 351,000 teachers' assistants have become civil servants. Many teachers say they have worked for years in dire conditions without regular pay, pending their promotion to become civil servants.
Representatives from Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darrusalam were invited to the anniversary, where awards were given to teachers and authorities.
Union chairman Muhammad Surya expressed gratitude over the certification program of teachers, saying it would ensure standardization of teaching staff.
Apart from increasing standards they said the program "would increase the dignity, professionalism and welfare of teachers."
Riau Governor Rusli Zainal said administrations across the province had committed themselves to setting aside at least 20 percent for education from their respective budgets.
Critics have said this becomes unrealistic for poorer provinces which are expected to improve public services. Riau itself is rich in oil.
Rusli said the budget prioritizes primary education, eradication of illiteracy, school buildings and protection against drop outs.
He proudly said the effort in the province was paying off. "A student managed to win the gold medal in the Physics Olympics in Singapore in 1995; last year another became second runner up at the Astronomy Olympics in Beijing," Rusli said.
He said the administration has spent Rp 26 billion on the training and further education of some 20,000 teachers. (jp/dar)
