JAKARTA: Hundreds of teachers rallied outside the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday to demand that President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo raise their status to that of civil servant.

Gambir Police head Adj. Sr. Comr. Wahyudi Susatyo Purnomo said he deployed 300 officers to monitor the peaceful rally.

Ade Ismail, the coordinator of the teachers, said Jokowi should issue a presidential decree to promote contract teachers who met civil servant requirements because many of them had yet to be made full-time teachers.

'€œMany contract teachers meet the requirement and are approaching retirement age. However, they have yet to obtain clear employment status,'€ Ade said as quoted by tempo.co.

Ade said many contract teachers received a merger Rp 300,000 (US$24) as a monthly salary.