The government is making available 40.000 seats for university graduates of all kinds of degrees to enroll in a teacher education program. Upon program completion, these university graduates will be awarded certificates which will enable them to hold teaching positions in the public as well as private school system.
Teacher Reading a Book

“In the course of time, only those who possess Teacher Education certificates are able to practice the teaching profession.” said National Education Ministry's Director General for higher education, Fasli Jalal in Jakarta, Wednesday (22/10). The quota of 40,000 teacher candidates was set to approach the number required for the replacement of retiring teachers and meet demand for new teachers.

According to Fasli, non-education degree holders eligible to enroll are those wanting to teach at the Junior High School, Senior High School and Vocational School level. Those wanting to teach at the Kindergarten and Elementary School level, will be required to have a degree in Kindergarten and Elementary School education.

Teacher Education, Fasli added, for non-education degree holders constitutes a 6-months program, while the training for Kindergarten and Elementary School teacher candidates is a one-year program.

Before enrolling in the program, Fasli continued, candidates will go through a strict selection process. “Only those who have what it takes to become teachers and really have the desire are allowed to take part,” said Fasli.

According to him, these strict requirements are necessary to continually ensure better teacher quality. “said Fasli Jalal.

Sulistyo, Indonesian Teachers Union (PGRI) chairman said, the government’s initiative to set up teacher education programs, is a crucial step towards raising the quality of teachers. However, precise calculations are required to determine the quota for teachers, taking into account quantity as well as the distribution. This is to ensure that schools are no longer experiencing a shortage of educators, which encourages the hiring of unqualified individuals.

Sulistiyo said, the government should give priority to education degree holders in selecting candidates, since these individuals have been trained as educators for longer periods of time.

Subject content teachers who are non-education degree holders should be asked to teach less common subjects, such as those taught at vocational schools. These subjects usually require teachers with more specific skills,” he said.

On a separate occasion, the Minister for National Education, Bambang Sudibyo said the government has taken several measures to improve teacher quality and welfare and ensured a sufficient supply of teachers.

Up until 2015 it is estimated that 300,214 teachers will head into retirement. This gap will be filled by teachers that meet the current Law on teachers and university lecturers.