JAKARTA - Hundreds of teachers who are members of the Madrasah Communication Forum (FKM) Kediri Regency, East Java, held a demonstration in front of the office of the Ministry of Religion, Kediri Regency. In their action they demanded that 100 percent of the school operational assistance (BOS) be disbursed immediately.
"This action aims to demand a 50 percent shortage of BOS funds disbursement by madrasas within the Ministry of Religion of Kediri Regency," said Nurul Fuad Asshofi, a representative from FKM Kediri Regency when met at the location of the action in Kediri, reported by Antara, Thursday, November 5.
He admitted that teachers and principals of madrasah throughout Kediri Regency were restless, because until now there was no clarity regarding the decrease in BOS funds. In fact, the funds can be used for school operational needs, including honoraria for honorary teachers.
Nurul, who is also the head of a private Islamic school in Kediri Regency, said that his school had 135 students. BOS funds have been disbursed for 64 students, while the rest have not.
Each child gets an allocation of Rp. 700 thousand and is disbursed every one semester. The funds are used for various school operations.
As a result of the fact that all BOS funds had not been reduced, he was forced to make a policy by temporarily cutting the salaries of honorary teachers. This was done, so that they could also meet their needs while waiting for the clarification of BOS funds from the center to be disbursed.
Nur Hafid, another teacher, said that according to the communication that had been made, the funds were agreed to be disbursed this November. He and other madrasa heads and teachers gave appreciation, because the demands were met.
"It has been proposed to the regional office and followed up by the regional office that the shortage will be disbursed by the end of November 2020, taken from the buffer funds (reserve funds). The 2020 buffer funds are for MA and MTs students, there is still a shortage for MI, so it cannot be fulfilled 100 percent. " he said.
He added that the reason for the lack of disbursement was due to the refocusing of the central budget. However, he hopes that in 2021 the budget can go down as usual.
Meanwhile, Head of the Madrasah Education Section (Kasi) of the Ministry of Religion of Kediri Regency, Enim Hartono, said that the demands made were reasonable because they were the head of the madrasah that managed the madarasah. That demand will also be fulfilled. "I have already said that their demands will be fulfilled," he said.
He emphasized that previously there had been socialization that BOS funds would not all go down and shortages would soon follow. It is possible that the socialization was still not optimal, so the masses came to the Kediri Regency Ministry of Religion office.
In Kediri Regency, there are 657 institutions, both at the RA level (raudhatul athfal) at the TK level, MTs (madrasah tsanawiyah), to MA (madrasah aliyah). Of that number, 17 of them have public status, both at the MI, MTs, and MA levels and others are private.
In addition, there are more than 94 thousand students and more than 5,000 teachers. Of the total teachers, 776 of them have become civil servants, while the rest are still not or non-PNS.
In their action, the masses also brought various kinds of posters containing demands. The masses were closely guarded by the Kediri Police.
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