The Association of the Indonesian Informal Early Childhood Education Center (HIMPAUDI) urged the government to abolish the dichotomy of formal and non-formal PAUD. The reason is it leads to discrimination against the non-formal PAUD`s welfare and career development. Moreover, all PAUD teachers have the same duties and competencies as well as qualifications required is the same as stated in the Ministry Regulation No.58/2009.

HIMPAUDI asserted that such issue comes from its own rules and regulations thus the current incentives that received by non-formal PAUD only reached 750 thousand per year. While kindergarten teacher gets functional allowance as much as Rp 3.6 million per year. In addition there are also profession allowance," said Netti Herawati, Chairwoman of Riau PW HIMPAUDI, during a meeting with Head of the House of Representatives (DPR), Marzuki Ali.

Based on the information from the director`s statement of the event activity technical managing official (PPTK)-PAUDI General Directorate`s Education and Tourism Ministry, Herawati added, this year there will be a decrease in the PAUD budget about 60 percent, causing reduced quota recipients for non-formal educators from 50,849 into 21,200 educators. In line with PAUDISASI movement where 1 village/1 PAUD are designed which will increase teacher quota by 153,310 people.

 

"Besides quota, the amount of the received incentives also declined from Rp 1.2 million/person/year to Rp 750 thousand. We are very sad because budgetary is not propotional between PAUD, elementary education and secondary high education. Whereas, 50 percent of the intelligence is improving in the age of 0-4 years and 80 percent in the age of 0-8 years. In reality, PAUD budget is lowest," she exclaimed.

According to Rahmitha P Soendjojo, Head of Welfare Division for PP HIMPAUDI, her party is very concerned to lift the recommendation to abolish the dichotomy of formal and non-formal PAUD. This is because its educator gets different teaching from kindergarten teachers. In fact, the subject is the same, that is child in the age of 0-6 years.

"Every non-formal educator should has the same qualification and competence with the kindergarten teacher, thereby they  could get an equal direction from the state, instead of differentiated," she stressed.

Chairman of 2 PP HIMPAUDI, Khamsanah added that the aspirations letter given to DPR was not only from HIMPAUDI Center but also from the provinces and regencies. "This struggle will be followed by other provinces to bring the Regional Representative Council (DPD)," he explained.

Meanwhile, DPR Head, Marzuki Ali revealed if such matter relates to the proportion of the budget, all stems from the Education and Culture Ministry`s proposal thus it is important to convey it them. He also agreed where the dichotomy of formal and non-formal PAUD must be abolished and must be in one sector. It aims to avoid distinction.

"Despite the regulation is not changed yet, the Ministry of Education and Culture could equate welfare between formal with non-formal teachers," he finished.