Hundreds Of Honorary Teachers Fired, Commission X: The Term Cleansing Is Too Sadistic

Acting Head Of DKI Jakarta Education Office Budi Awaluddin/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Commission X of the DPR RI criticized the policy of dismissing hundreds of honorary teachers in DKI Jakarta unilaterally through the cleansing' or cleaning' system. The DPR's education commission assessed that the policy of cleaning honorary teachers in DKI was less humane.

"Cleaning is a word that is too sadistic, cleansing is cleaning or like eradicating. That's not allowed," said Deputy Chairman of Commission X DPR Dede Yusuf, Friday, July 19.

The DKI Education Office (Disdik) stated that the cleaning' policy for at least 107 honorary teachers was carried out as a Follow-up to the Examination Results (TLHP) of the BPK. BPK findings state that the map of the need for honorary teachers is not in accordance with Permendikbud and the provisions as recipients of honorariums.

The honorary teachers are paid from School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds. The DKI Disdik also argued that the school appointed honorary teachers without a recommendation from the Disdik so that they violated the rules.

Regarding this, Dede asked the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) as a partner of Commission X of the DPR to become a facilitator for related parties.

"The Ministry of Education and Culture must immediately clarify with the Jakarta Education Office. From the information I received, this is the Follow-up to the BPK's Examination Results (TLHP)," he said.

Dede also highlighted the difference in rules from Disdik Jakarta which required teachers to teach 35 hours per week. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Culture only requires honorary teachers to teach 24 hours per week. This became the finding of the BPK.

"BPK sees that the payment of teachers who teach is less than 35 hours per week. This finding can be completed by regulating the pattern of teaching hours," explained Dede.

Therefore, the legislator from the West Java II electoral district asked related parties to immediately sit down together to find solutions for the fate of honorary teachers who were 'fired', including the Regional Government and BPK. Dede reminded that even though they have honorary status, these teachers have also served children's education for years.

"The policy of cleaning honorary teachers can cause a shortage of teachers in schools which ultimately disrupts the teaching and learning process. In the end, children will be harmed. Moreover, this has only just entered the new school school school year," he said.

"Disdik should also be able to find out why these honorary teachers are appointed. Maybe because the school's burden is already too large, it requires additional teachers who cannot be accommodated by the government," continued Dede.

Furthermore, Dede reminded that empowerment of the teaching profession must be carried out through equitable and sustainable self-development and upholding human rights (HAM) in accordance with the mandate of Article 7 Paragraph 2 of Law No. 14 concerning 2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers.

"So it is very important to pay attention to these values when the appointment and termination of cooperation, including with honorary teachers," said the former Deputy Governor of West Java.

According to him, the dismissal of honorary teachers with the term cleansing' is also not in accordance with the spirit being carried out by the state regarding the improvement of the fate of honorary teachers. Dede reminded that Law Number 20 of 2023 concerning ASN has emphasized the Government's commitment to complete non-ASN arrangements no later than December 2024.

"This means that the fate of honorary staff, including honorary teachers, should improve. It's not just a setback," he said.