There Should Have Been Standardization For Honorary Teacher Honorary Honors

SDN Malaka Jaya 10/ Photo; IST

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, has encouraged the reform of salaries for honorary teachers to ensure that there are no more issues of cutting the salaries of educators in Jakarta that go viral.

"The rights of teachers must be respected and protected. To avoid the issue of payroll, there must be standardization made by the Government for honorary teachers," said Puan, Tuesday, November 28.

The public is indeed outraged by the news of the alleged deduction of salaries for honorary teachers at public elementary schools (SDN) in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta (Jaktim). The salary received by honorary teachers is not in accordance with the honorarium agreement document previously signed.

After further investigation, the DKI Disdik said there was no cut in wages for the honorary teacher. The problem arose because of the wage distribution mechanism regulated by the Principal and the school treasurer where the honorary teacher works. Because there is a difference between the old and new honorary teachers.

Puan hopes that the Government can further regulate salary for honorary teachers. So that there is no concern about salarying and avoiding the subjectivity of school leaders.

"The issue of cutting the salaries of honorary teachers is very disturbing, regardless of whether or not there is a cut. A thorough investigation is needed regarding this case so that no party is harmed," said Puan.

"The chaotic issue of honorary teacher recitation is a sad portrait of the moment of National Teacher's Day which we just commemorated on November 25 yesterday. The uncertainty in the welfare of honorary teachers is really real," added the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Puan assessed that the number of cases of cutting the salaries of honorary teachers indicates the need for payroll reform. The DPR also ensures that the DPR will always be present to fight for the rights of teachers, especially since the salaries of honorary teachers are mostly taken from School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds sourced from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

"With or without this case, the state must fight for the welfare of teachers. We in the DPR will continue to carry out escorts to ensure teachers get proper welfare," said Puan.

Puan also emphasized the urgency of reform in the honorary teacher payroll system in each school. He considered that this needed to be a reference for standard payroll for honorary teachers so that problems like this would no longer arise.

"We cannot ignore inequality in salaries of honorary teachers in various schools. Standardization of honorary teacher wages must be implemented immediately to avoid significant differences," said Puan.

The first woman to serve as chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives also encouraged the Government through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbusristek) to make guidelines for schools related to honorary teacher recitation. According to Puan, this is for justice for the educators of the nation's next generation.

"The government needs to develop clear and fair guidelines for the recitation of honorary teachers, ensuring that they receive decent wages according to the work they do," he said.

Reform of the payroll system for honorary teachers is also considered to provide long-term solutions. For this reason, Puan asked that concrete steps be taken to create a fair and sustainable education system.

"We must not allow our educators to feel unappreciated. This is not only an individual problem, but also a matter of the integrity of our education as a nation," explained Bung Karno's grandson.