Jakarta (ANTARA) - People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Chairman Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono stressed the need to expedite the disbursement of performance allowances for lecturers, stating that it is crucial for the quality of education in Indonesia.
"Therefore, the performance allowances for lecturers with ASN (state civil apparatus) status is important. We must remember that allowance will impact the quality of education," he noted in a statement received here on Tuesday.
He made this statement during a national discussion titled "Prosperous Lecturers, Meaningful Research, Quality Education" held here on Monday (March 3). He believes that ensuring the welfare of lecturers will significantly motivate them to educate the nation’s youth.
However, he drew attention to the numerous challenges in distributing performance allowances to lecturers.
"We face many challenges in the implementation process, including payment delays, disparities between lecturers under the Education Ministry and those in the Religious Affairs Ministry, as well as unequal allowances for non-certified lecturers," he explained.
He also compared the salaries and allowances of lecturers in other countries to those in Indonesia.
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"The basic salaries for lecturers, such as those in Australia, Singapore, and Japan, are significantly higher, whereas in Indonesia, it remains minimal," he remarked.
On another note, he encouraged the need to go beyond the performance allowance issue and ensure that overall well-being is sustained over time.
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"This applies not just to lecturers but also to military personnel, police, ASN, and other professions," he noted.
He believes that improving the welfare of educators is consistent with the Four Pillars of the Nation and President Prabowo Subianto's Astacita mission.
He is optimistic that the government will prioritize the welfare of lecturers, whom he views as the unsung heroes in the education sector.
