BADAN PENGELOLA HARIAN PENDIDIKAN DAN RISTEK Masjid Al-Markaz Al-Islami Jend. M.

Yusuf

AL-MARKAZ FOR KHUDI ENLIGHTENING STUDIES (MAKES)

EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY
(Part 2) the Forgotten Heroes, the Poor Heroes
By: Z

umar bakri, umar bakri.., pegawai negeri.. umar bakri, umar bakri.., 40 tahun mengabdi.. tapi mengapa gaji guru umar bakri, seperti dikebiri. (Umar Bakrie Iwan Fals)

Above is a snippet of satiric song entitled of Umar Bakri, sung by the legendary artist, Iwan Fals. It is a perfect scene to describe the reality of teachers life who always been ignored as one of the most invaluable assets in education. Since old times, teachers seemed to have been disregarded as important part in educating students in schools, where all responsibilities regarding on students improvement are brought onto their shoulder. Generally, students use one fourth of their hours in a day at schools every day, where most of it is spent in socializing with their teachers. For around 5 to 6 days a week, teachers guide the students in improving their skills, to teach them not only about scientific knowledge, but also good deeds. Therefore, good teaching ability should be possessed by the teachers, thus will support the learning process in schools. It indicates that the significant matter is how to enhance teachers capacity in teaching students. Their duty is very vital as educational extensionist, as persons who apply the national curriculum concept practically and directly to the students. In an ideal situation, a teacher should have enough capability in transferring their knowledge to the students, where this should be handled carefully. Having lack of transforming capacity will impair them to transform theories to practical teaching materials to the students.

High Expectation!!!, But Low Salary Teachers obligation is to facilitate and direct their pupils to draw their inner potential to reach the maximum. It is not an easy task indeed. Instead, in some circumstances their responsibility is much higher than the students parents. Organizing a class contained with tens of children is not an easy task, for not everybody can do it perfectly. Teachers must recognize each potential of their students, where every student has their own characteristic potential that depends on their basic personality. For that reason, the role of teachers in analyzing their students potential, and implement proper way to increasing it is highly expected. To improve teachers ability, they must spend a lot of time to join activities in personal capacity building especially related on teaching abilities. Attending trainings, seminars, and workshops should be considered as a good effort in supporting their improvement. Unfortunately, most of those activities are not free of charge. Not only time, teachers should also prepare much money to attend those activities. Its not a secret anymore that the teachers salary is still too low, or in short words; we can say it totally unacceptable especially for non-permanent teachers (note that most teachers in rural and remote areas are non-permanent teachers). The consequence, some teachers do a little business at schools, just to keep their pocket wet. They sold learning books to their students, which should be free of charge. They make cookies and brought them to schools, or else. Another consequence, they have no ambition to improve their knowledge or keep it up-to-date (some teachers want to go to seminars and trainings, but unfortunately, when they thought that they must spend a lot of money-their own money, to participate to those activities, they will be reluctant) Analyzing the teachers problem is urgently required to improve the quality of education system in our country. Understanding their position and their important role would be wise if we put their needs first before thinking on how to equip them with other facilities. Good teachers make good students, and good students will lead us to great future, our nations future.
* a reflection of national education day commemorated on May 2, 2011..