Continuation of Teachers’ Certification Questioned

Kompas, page 12

Protests have been raised against the discontinuation of certification of active teachers – to date issued through Education and Training of Teaching Profession – starting next year. Under the new regulation, provision of professional teachers holding a teaching certificate, both active and probationary teachers, through education of the teaching profession is to be regularly paid and subsidized.

The Chairman of the Executive Board of the Teachers Association of the Republic of Indonesia (PGRI), Unifah Rosyidi, said in Jakarta on Saturday (3/6) that teachers who were already teaching in schools, but who lacked certification, should be the government’s responsibility. Certification of active teachers should be implemented and paid by the government and should not be subsidized. This training program depends on a quota system and budget availability, as well as the time for its implementation, which takes ten years for completion, whereas there are still a number of teachers who are not able to take certification.

On a different occasion, the Director for Development of Secondary Education Teachers, Directorate General of Teachers and Education Personnel, The Ministry of Education and Culture, Anas M Adam, said that the implementation of PPG was required to provide professional teachers. This has been proven with the teaching certificate released by the Institute of Teachers’ Education (LPTK). Besides fulfilling the current lack of around 91,000 productive Vocational High School (SMK) teachers, preparation of Elementary School (SD) teachers through PPG SD will also be a focus, given that 140,000 teachers are due to retire next year.

Meanwhile, the Director of Learning, Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs, the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education, Paristiyanti Nurwardani, said that government through Kemdikbud, Kemristek and Dikti, as well as local government will provide scholarships for both active and probationary teachers to take PPG. PPG candidates should be D-IV/S-1 (undergraduate program) graduates. This will include enhancing their teaching and professional (material competency) skills. The current quota is around 10,000 people.