Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development
Previously, primary school teachers (Grades 1 to 6) were required to hold a two year diploma (certificate D-2) in order to teach officially in schools. A law passed in 2005 introduced new policies regarding teacher education, which stipulated that by 2015 all teachers would be required to complete a four year university degree and obtain teacher certification.4 According to Law Number 14 (2005), general requirements for becoming a teacher in Indonesia include completing a four year university degree or four years of higher education, obtaining a teacher certificate, and demonstrating professional, pedagogical, personal, and social competencies.
In order to obtain teacher certification, teachers are required to pass a competency test administered by the government. Before taking the test, teachers complete a one year professional training program. Teacher candidates with subject teaching expertise (e.g., in mathematics, science, language, religious studies, or sports) who graduated from universities specializing in teacher education (Lembaga Pendidikan Tenaga Keguruan, LPTK) are required to complete 18 to 20 credit hours of training focused on professional competency development in order to obtain teacher certification. Teacher candidates holding a university degree from a general university are required to complete 36 to 40 credit hours of training focused on pedagogical competency development in order to obtain certification.
Teacher Education Specific to Mathematics and Science
Secondary school teachers (Grade 7 and higher) are required to complete a university degree in their chosen subject along with a pedagogical training program or a university degree in education. These programs typically take four to five years to complete. Prospective mathematics and science teachers spend at least 60 percent of their course time studying mathematics or science, and the rest of their time is devoted to pedagogy.
The Ministry of Education and Culture provides scholarships and professional training programs in all subject areas through the Institute for Educational Quality Assurance. In addition to academic and pedagogical studies, prospective teachers are required to complete a teaching practicum at a selected school.
Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development
Java Island (the most populous island in Indonesia, where the capital city, Jakarta, is located) has the highest rate of qualified and capable teachers in the country due to the preference of teacher candidates for working in urban areas. Other areas, particularly in the eastern part of Indonesia, have issues with teacher availability and competency. As a result in some cases, teachers may be required to teach subjects outside their field of expertise. In order to enhance teacher competencies and encourage professionalism, the Institute for Educational Quality Assurance offers a number of professional development activities and training programs, which include training in innovative approaches to using technology in instruction and training in classroom assessment techniques for mathematics, physics, and biology teachers.
In 2008, the government launched the Better Education through Reformed Management and Universal Teacher Upgrading project to support teacher professional development and teacher education programs, providing financial incentives for teachers to upgrade their skills. In 2014, the government established a teacher training program for first year teachers called Teachers as Learners (Guru Pembelajar) and introduced a new requirement in 2015 for teachers to take an annual teacher competency test, which measures professional and pedagogical competencies. Teacher training is designed according to these test results and targets specific competencies. Teachers who perform well on the test are eligible to become tutors for the training program, which is conducted through a combination of online and classroom learning.