Teacher Salaries Rise In 2025, Puan Talks Justice For Education Heroes

JAKARTA - The chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, welcomed the Government's policy of increasing the salaries of teachers in 2025, both ASN and honorary. He emphasized that improving teacher welfare is one of the steps to strengthen Indonesian human resources (HR).

"Improving the welfare of teachers has indeed become a state obligation, especially the government as the implementer of the budget. Hopefully, the policy of increasing teacher salaries next year can improve the quality of the educators of the nation's children," said Puan, Friday (29/11/2024).

The government, in this case President Prabowo Subianto, announced an income increase scheme to improve the welfare of teachers which will start in 2025. This was conveyed by Prabowo at the peak of commemoration of National Teacher's Day 2024 at Jakarta International Velodrome, Rawamangun, East Jakarta, Thursday (28/11).

Puan also hopes that the salary increase policy can increase the enthusiasm of the teachers.

"The welfare of teachers is very vital considering that there are still many educators who feel deprived in meeting their daily needs. Justice for teachers as heroes of education must always be pursued," said the first woman to become chairman of the DPR RI.

Puan highlighted the data that stated that welfare did not result in 55.8% of teachers having side jobs, as well as 79.8% of teachers having debts. Even NoLimit's research reveals that 42% of people who are entangled in illegal loans work as teachers.

For this reason, Puan encourages the Government not to forget the fate of honorary teachers whose income is still far from sufficient.

"Our hope is that teachers who play a role in producing superior Indonesian seeds can live comfortably, both civil servants, PPPK, and honorary. So that they are no longer twisted due to debt problems," he said.

Puan appreciated the teachers who continued to be dedicated to teaching and retiring even with mediocre income. According to him, the patriot spirit always flows from the blood of a teacher.

"It is important to understand that good welfare will certainly increase teacher motivation and productivity. This will have an impact on the quality of learning in schools," explained Puan.

"So Indonesia's quality education service will be the best when all problems related to teacher welfare can be overcome," added the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Although there is an increase in teacher salaries in 2025, Puan assesses that there are still several challenges faced by the Government to ensure the good of the education system in Indonesia. Especially for honorary teachers whose fate is still unclear whether to be appointed as PPPK considering the previous government's target of promising to appoint 1 million honorary teachers to become PPPK this year seems difficult to realize.

"We regret that the appointment of teachers to become ASN or PPPK is slower than the rate of need," said Puan.