(Source: Kompas.com | 123rf)
Imagine dedicating over 30 years of your life to teaching, only to be paid just RM83 (350,000 Rupiah) every 3 months. Sounds unbelievable, right? But that’s exactly what one teacher in Indonesia has been facing, according to a recent report by Kompas.com.
55-year-old Saryono has been working diligently at a village-based religious school in West Java since 1992. He travels 7km to school everyday on an old secondhand motorcycle. The journey takes him 30 minutes one way. Despite his long tenure, his income has remained extremely low due to the school’s limited financial resources. Worse still, payments are not consistent and often delayed by months.
The school’s operational funds reportedly rely on government aid under the Bantuan Operasional Sekolah (BOS) programme. These funds are intended to support school operations but are not always sufficient to provide teachers with consistent salaries. In this case, the school can only afford to pay Saryono RM83 every three months, equating to roughly RM27 per month.
He Takes Care of His Sisters-in Law As Well!
Saryano as a result cultivates rice and cassava on a small plot of land, while his wife supplements their income by operating a small business. Despite their efforts, they barely manage to get by, often struggling to secure enough food. Worse still, Saryano not only supports his wife, but also 2 of his sisters-in-law who are unwell.
Despite his predicament, Saryano remains optimistic and dedicated. As the saying goes, "If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society's heroes!"
Back to Blog 
