Committee III of the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) Pushes for Income Securities and Protection for Teachers and Lecturers

15 September 2026 oleh admin

Jakarta, dpd.go.id – Committee III of the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) considers that the teacher and lecturer professions deserve state guarantees for a decent income, career certainty, as well as legal and professional protection. These guarantees need to be strengthened through the revision of Law Number 14 of 2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers.

This issue emerged during a Public Hearing (RDPU) held by Committee III of the DPD RI alongside the Association of Indonesian Lecturers (ADI) and the Executive Board of the Teachers Association of the Republic of Indonesia (PB PGRI) at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (15/9/2026).

Vice Chairperson of Committee III of the DPD RI, Ahmad Syauqi Soeratno, stated that teachers and lecturers are the main pillars in educating the nation. However, issues regarding welfare, employment status, certification, career progression, as well as legal and professional protection remain persistent.

“Educators, both teachers and lecturers, are the primary pillars in educating the life of the nation. Therefore, we need regulations that provide certainty regarding status, rights, obligations, welfare, as well as legal and professional protection for educators,” Syauqi said.

According to him, the revision of the Teacher and Lecturer Law must be able to resolve fundamental issues faced by educators, including welfare, certainty of status and career, certification, equitable distribution of educators, and legal and professional protection.

A DPD RI Member from the Central Java electoral district, Muhdi, added that strengthening educational regulations needs to be done comprehensively, including reopening discussions on the Law on the National Education System (UU Sisdiknas). He noted that this effort requires political consistency and the support of all DPD RI members so that the interests of education, teachers, and lecturers are accommodated in national policy.

“If we fight for the National Education System Law, two things must be ensured. First, the substance contained in the Teacher and Lecturer Law must be preserved. Second, there must be certainty regarding the budget allocation figure for education,” Muhdi asserted.

General Chairperson of ADI, Mohammed Ali Berawi, stated that income guarantees for lecturers need to be articulated into measurable and enforceable standards. ADI proposed that lecturers' rights be anchored to a base salary, rather than merely total income, so that allowances are not used to cover basic wages.

Ali proposed that the base salary for lecturers be set at a minimum of twice the regional minimum wage where the educational institution is located, taking into account academic qualifications and the workload of the Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi (Three Pillars of Higher Education). This standard was proposed to apply universally, regardless of status as a State Civil Servant (ASN), Government Employee with a Work Agreement (PPPK), honorary worker, or lecturer at a private institution.

"The association also pushes for supervision, easily accessible grievance mechanisms, and administrative sanctions for parties that fail to comply with these provisions. The base salary must be calculated separately and cannot be met by factoring in allowances," M. Ali stated.

Meanwhile, the General Chairperson of PB PGRI, Dudung Abdul Qodir, assessed that Law Number 14 of 2005 should be retained as a specific law governing the teaching and lecturing professions, rather than being merged into a codification package within the National Education System Draft Bill.

"We hope that the revision of the law contains clear norms regarding a minimum base salary for non-ASN teachers and lecturers, referencing at least the minimum wage in accordance with statutory provisions. He emphasized that professional allowances must be placed outside of the base salary and must not replace the employer's basic obligations," he explained.

Closing the hearing, Syauqi affirmed that all input from ADI, PB PGRI, DPD RI members, and academics would serve as vital material for Committee III of the DPD RI in compiling the content for the Draft Bill on the Amendment to Law Number 14 of 2005.

“We will comprehensively study the input submitted, particularly regarding income standards, budget certainty, career advancement, and professional protection. It is hoped that the revision of this law will strengthen the quality and dignity of teachers and lecturers as a strategic part of human resource development,” Syauqi concluded.