The Story Behind National Teacher's Day In History November 25, 1945

Illustration (Unsplash/Husniati Salma)

JAKARTA - Every November 25, Indonesia commemorates National Teacher's Day. This is a moment when Indonesian people return to remembering the role of teachers in education and giving awards to teachers in Indonesia.

This year, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemeneristekdikti) commemorates Teacher's Day by holding a flag ceremony starting at 08.00 WIB. The ceremony was held face-to-face with limited health protocols to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. The theme of National Teacher's Day 2021 is “Move with Heart, Restore Education.”

The commemoration of National Teacher's Day was established by Presidential Decree No. 78 of 1994, stipulating that PGRI's birthday on November 25 was National Teacher's Day, and is always celebrated every year. The Association of Teachers of the Republic of Indonesia or PGRI itself was born on November 25, 1945.

Citing the official PGRI website, PGRI was originally called the Dutch East Indies Teachers Association (PGHB) which was formed in 1912. PGHB consists of auxiliary teachers, village teachers, school principals, and school inspectors. They have different educational backgrounds and generally work in the Village School and the Angka Dua People's School, which uses the local language plus Malay as the language of instruction.

Apart from PGHB, there are also Auxiliary Teachers Association (PGB), Village Teachers Association (PGD), Ambachtsschool Teachers Association (PGAS), Normaalschool Association (PNS), and Hogere Kweekschool Bond (HKSB). There are also teacher organizations that have religious, national or other nuances such as Christelijke Onderwijs Vereneging (COV), Katolieke Onderwijsbond (KOB), and Vereneging Van Muloleerkrachten (VVM).

Illustration (Photo source: Unsplash)

In addition, there is the Nederlands Indische Onderwijs Genootschap (NIOG) organization which consists of all teachers regardless of religious group. Over time, the teacher's role did not only focus on improving the fate and equality of rights and positions with the Dutch, but became part of the national struggle for independence.

In 1932, PGHB was changed to the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGI). The use of the word 'Indonesia' was surprising and the Dutch clearly didn't like it. However, during the Japanese occupation, all organizations were banned and schools were closed. PGI cannot perform activities.

Indonesia's independence on August 17, 1945 also liberated teachers in Indonesia. On November 23-25, 1945, the Indonesian Teachers' Congress was held in Surakarta. With this Indonesian Teachers' congress, it is emphasized that all differences between teacher organizations based on differences in graduates in the work environment, regional environment, political sects, religion, and ethnicity are eliminated.

Differences in background are eliminated for the unification of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Since the Indonesian Teachers' congress, all Indonesian teachers have declared themselves to be united in one PGRI forum.

Teacher's Day is also celebrated internationally every October 5th. World Teacher's Day is also to remember the services of teachers around the world. International Teacher's Day is the day of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, which sets the benchmark for teachers' rights and responsibilities.

The ILO/UNESCO recommendations also have standards for early preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and conditions of teaching and learning. The Recommendation on the Status of Teaching Personnel in Higher Education was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation to cover teaching staff in higher education. World Teacher's Day has been observed since 1994.

*Read other information about TODAY's HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Putri Ainur Islam.

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