Teachers Threatened With Prisons Reported By Student Parents, Mendikdasmen Open Discourse On Teacher Protection Law

Chairman of Commission X Hetifah Sjaifudian (left) together with the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu'ti (/ANTARA/Hana Kinarina)

JAKARTA - Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu'ti said his party was open to the discourse on submitting the Teacher Protection Law if it was necessary to suppress criminalization cases against teachers.

He explained that basically Article 39 of Law Number 14 of 2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers has explained in six verses about how to protect teachers, both in their work, related to their profession and safety and already having derivative rules to become legal umbrellas for teachers and educators.

"Yes, what is clear is that in the Teacher Law and Lecturer Article 39 there has actually been an explanation if I'm not mistaken, there are six verses that explain how to protect teachers, but if it is deemed still necessary, then maybe later please," Mu'ti said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, November 11.

The Minister of Education and Culture emphasized that his party was open to submitting the Teacher Protection Bill if there were groups of people who submitted it because it was deemed necessary.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Commission X Hetifah Sjaifudian also said the same statement.

He also emphasized that his party is ready and open to initiatives from the government and the public regarding the discourse on submitting the Teacher Protection Bill.

However, Hetifah explained that currently his party has officially just included a revision related to the National Education System Law, which can also integrate several things related to the problems of teachers and lecturers.

"For us in the DPR, of course, it is very open to input of initiatives from the government and the public, but for now officially what we have included for revision is the National Education System Law which in it may also integrate matters related to teachers and lecturers," said Hetifah.

He also reminded the importance of strengthening socialization related to existing regulations so that all teachers know and can be used as a legal umbrella when they are criminalized.

Previously, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in his direction on the same activity said that he had entrusted a message to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) to encourage the existence of the Teacher Protection Law so that teachers can teach and educate comfortably and in a disciplined manner.

"Don't use the Child Protection Law as a weapon to attack teachers. We may also encourage this in the future, Mr. Minister, the Teacher Protection Act," said Gibran.