D

EPOK: Dozens of contracted assistant teachers staged a protest outside the Depok municipality office on Monday, burning their uniforms as they demanded promotions to permanent teaching staff.

They said that Mayor Nur Mahmudi Ismail had delayed their promotions to full civil servant status, despite having been approved by former mayor Badrul Kamal in 2004.

'Instead of giving the 320 teachers their rights, the municipality is currently holding tests for 520 assistant teachers, who assumed their jobs since 2004, to become civil servants,' Agung Asmarahadi, one of the protesting teachers, said.

Agung, chairman of the Depok Forum for Contracted Teachers, said the assistant teachers only received functional allowances ranging from Rp 100,000 (US$10) to Rp 700,000 per month.

'I had to take a side job as an ojek [motorcycle taxi] driver,' the father of two said, adding that he received a monthly honorarium of Rp 245,000 for 20 hours of work per week.

Ramli, a teacher at Mekar Jaya 16 elementary school, said he had been a contracted teacher since 1968 and was currently paid Rp 300,000 per month.

'The government should be transparent about the teacher promotion program, and pay attention to those teachers who have served for a long time and are nearing retirement,' he said.