Increase of perceived roles of teachers in Indonesia context

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1.2.4 Increase of perceived roles of teachers in Indonesia context

The significant roles of teachers are recognized and demanded in the implementation of the School Level Curriculum. At the initial stage of its development, this curriculum was also called the Competency-based Curriculum which was then the Curriculum 2004 MoNE, 2003. Since the preparation of this curriculum, teachers have been considered vital not only in conducting teaching in the classroom but also in preparing the lessons. Teachers are considered to know best about the appropriate classroom activities and interaction for the students, more specifically concerning the level of the difficulty with respect to the academic level as well as the needs of the students. This is because teachers are believed to have a better understanding about the special characteristics of their students, the availability of the teaching equipment in the school, and even the support of the society around the school. Teachers, therefore, are assigned new tasks related to the development of materials to be presented in the classroom. This is new because in earlier curricula, they used to implement whatever materials prescribed and provided by the curriculum MoNE, 2003. Through the assignment of these new tasks, teachers are expected to be ready not only to decide whatever materials to bring into the classroom but also to take the responsibility for what they have chosen. In doing so, teachers are expected to have access to the power of decision making. More importantly, 11 teachers are supposedly ready to act autonomously given access to decision making is available for them. The significant increase in the perceived importance of teachers‘ roles and function in education in Indonesia is further emphasized through Law No. 14, 2005 concerning the work of teachers and lecturers. In this regulation, the government acknowledges the importance of teachers in shaping and supporting the development of future generations. With this law, the government emphasizes the importance of both empowering teachers and at the same time improving the quality of teachers. This law is designed to support the improvement of access to education, educational quality, relevance and accountability in the face of local, national and global demand MoNE, 2006. This regulation also promises a better salary package for teachers who are successful in the certification programs.

1.2.5 Teacher Professional Development Programs in Indonesian Context