Honorary Teachers' Dismissal Dilemma and Teacher Shortage Crisis in Indonesia

Honorary teachers in Jakarta are in the risk of being dismissed. (Special)

The dismissal of hundreds of honorary teachers in Jakarta is a tragic drama that continues to recur in the world of Indonesian education. Every time this issue arises, the pain and uncertainty of honorary teachers is once again in the spotlight. They are unsung heroes who struggle on the front lines of education, but their fate is often marginalized by impartial policies.

Imagine being an honorary teacher. The salary received is not commensurate with the hard work provided. According to a survey conducted by the Institute for Demographic and Poverty Studies (IDEAS) Research Institute and GREAT Edunesia Dompet Dhuafa in May 2024 of 403 teachers in 25 provinces in Indonesia, 74 percent of respondents had salaries below IDR 2 million and others below IDR 500 thousand. This means, it could be said that their salary is below the lowest 2024 Regency-City Minimum Wage (UMK).

VOI once reviewed how miserable the lives of honorary teachers are who have to survive on small salaries, but still give full dedication to the future of the younger generation. Honorary teachers initially existed as a temporary solution to cover the shortage of permanent teachers. With the increasing number of students and increasingly complex educational needs, the government is having difficulty meeting the needs of teachers through civil servants alone. Therefore, honorary teachers are hired to ensure the teaching and learning process continues. However, as time goes by, their status remains honorary without any clarity about their future and welfare.

These dismissals are not just numbers on paper. Behind every dismissal, there is a sad story about teachers who lost their income, about children who lost their best teacher. The article in Kompas tells the story of how honorary teachers in Jakarta were forced to be fired unilaterally because of problems with the Basic Education Data (Dapodik). This "cleansing" policy not only harms teachers, but also damages the quality of education in schools.

According to the DKI Jakarta Education Service, this dismissal was the result of findings by the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) which showed a discrepancy between Dapodik data and real conditions in the field. Some honorary teachers are suspected of not having the appropriate qualifications, while others are deemed no longer needed due to budget and efficiency cuts. However, these reasons are often unclear and create uncertainty for affected teachers.

The Speaker of the DPR, Puan Maharani, regretted this dismissal and encouraged the government to provide a fair solution. This mass dismissal shows how fragile our education system is which should fight for the welfare of its educators. Indonesia is predicted to have a shortage of 1.3 million teachers by 2024, according to the Ministry of Education and Culture. However, we still fire honorary teachers.

The solution needed is not mass layoffs, but restructuring and better management. The policy of the DKI Jakarta Education Department is not dismissal, but rather restructuring. However, what kind of arrangement do we need? We need policies that are more pro-teacher's welfare, giving them job security and proper rewards.

Amidst all this uncertainty, there is hope that the government will take concrete steps to improve our education system. Even though becoming an honorary teacher is a challenging choice, many do it for the love of this profession. We have to make sure that their love is not one-sided.

The dismissal of honorary teachers is an illustration of the chaotic state of education governance in Indonesia. We need a comprehensive and fair solution to address this problem. Education is the foundation of the nation's future. Solutions must focus on teachers' welfare, job security, and quality of education. If the government is serious, then concrete steps must be taken immediately. Dismissal is not the solution, but better management and a system that favors teachers is the answer. Education must be saved immediately.