Ministry expands strategies to improve teacher quality, welfare

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has outlined several strategies to address a range of challenges faced by teachers, including limited access to competency development, disparities in workload and welfare, and unequal distribution.

“It is impossible to encourage teachers to become professionals without taking their welfare into account,” Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Fajar Riza Ul Haq said in a statement here on Monday.

As a real measure, he said, the government this year is accelerating the implementation of the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) program for 230,000 active teachers who have not yet obtained teaching certificates.

The PPG Program for Specific Teachers, he added, serves as one of the main instruments for strengthening teacher professionalism while providing access to the Teacher Professional Allowance.

In 2025, the government successfully completed certification for more than 800 thousand teachers, and the acceleration program will continue in the coming years.

For teachers who do not yet hold a bachelor's or diploma degree, he said the ministry, through the Academic Qualification Fulfillment Program, provides an accelerated pathway through recognition of prior learning (RPL).

This pathway, he continued, formally recognizes teachers' work experience and competencies that have already been acquired.

Through this mechanism, teachers only need to undergo two years of study instead of the full four years, as their years of service are recognized by the government. In 2026, the government is targeting 150,000 teachers for participation in the program.

In terms of welfare, following an initiative by President Prabowo Subianto, the Teacher Professional Allowance has been increased from Rp1.5 million to Rp2 million per month.

The ministry has also reformed teachers' workloads to allow them to focus more on learning activities. Under Ministerial Regulation No. 11 of 2025, teachers' workloads are set at 37 hours and 30 minutes per week, excluding break times.

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Translator: Hana, Kenzu

Editor: Primayanti

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