Indonesian Teachers Association Calls for Teacher Governance to be Improved

TEMPO.CO, Semarang, Central Java - The Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) said that teacher governance, supported with regional autonomy, must be improved to increase the quality of education.

“We know that provincial and district/city involvement in teachers governance is not yet optimal,” PGRI Chairperson Unifah Rosyidi said at the 78th PGRI Anniversary and National Teachers Day commemoration in Central Java on Saturday, December 9, 2023.

Rosyidi added that decentralization of education authority in line with regional autonomy needs to be paid attention to, for instance, maximizing the authority of the central, provincial, and district/city governments in education improvement.

“All authorities (in education), including provincial, district/city, and the central governments must have undisputed responsibilities. For instance, district/city administrations can only oversee primary and secondary education,” she said.

Meanwhile, she said, high schools also exist in the district/city area, but they are under the auspices of the provincial government.

"Each region should have the authority to manage all (education levels) for (education) quality improvement,” she said.

She also mentioned the teachers’ welfare issues and payment of bonuses that are delayed in some regions.

“We want teachers governance be improved with transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency, as well as use the potential as much as possible,” Rosyidi said.

Meanwhile, she said that improving teachers governance has its challenges because it is bound by the regulation that has been so rigid in dividing the authorities.

“For example, religious schools are under the Religious Affairs Ministry and universities are under the central government. This must be evaluated,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of PGRI Central Java, Muhdi, admitted that teacher management has not been implemented well in regions.

"For instance, the policy of contract-based government employees (PPPK) is interpreted differently by each district/city," he said.

ANTARA

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