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View all search results'Unsung heroes', teachers face rising burdens amid low pay
Over the years, teachers have absorbed increased administrative duties, beyond teaching. The most notable one recently being the distribution of the free nutritious meal program introduced in January by the administration of President Prabowo Subianto.
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Students kiss their teachers' hands during a Teacher's Day celebration at an elementary school in Semarang, Central Java, on Nov. 25, 2025. The event, held under the theme “Great Teachers, Strong Indonesia” and attended by hundreds of students, aimed to help them gain a closer understanding of the teaching profession so they may be inspired to follow in their teachers’ footsteps. (Antara/Makna Zaezar)
U
nlike a typical school day, celebrations broke out across all levels of education nationwide throughout the week, with students bringing floral bouquets and letters of gratitude to their teachers to mark Teachers’ Day on Tuesday.
Words of respect and admiration for educators echoed among students and government officials from early in the week; a token of appreciation for the country’s so-called “unsung heroes”, a title teachers have long held.
Yet many teachers also bristle at the ironic accolade, noting that they remain “unsung” largely because their welfare lags far behind the hours and effort they pour into educating the nation’s next generation.
For Fadhila Auliyaa, a 26-year-old elementary school teacher in Bogor, West Java, the gap between expectations and support keeps widening.
“It’s frustrating every time I read the news and find that teachers, especially elementary school teachers, are blamed when children struggle with reading,” Fadhila told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. “Managing limited school hours to help more than 20 children [improve literacy] is incredibly challenging.”
Read also: Prabowo’s teacher rehabilitation highlights educators’ struggles
Part of the struggle stems from today’s digital distractions, she said, noting that gadgets, social media and artificial intelligence have become “teachers’ toughest competitors.”
