Teacher Shortage in Jakarta Involves More Than Just Positions; PGRI Highlights Data and Policy Issues
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Jakarta is still facing a shortage of teachers in several subjects, including Mathematics, Physics, English, as well as vocational teachers at the vocational high school (SMK) level.
This issue is not only related to the limited number of teacher positions but also concerns data accuracy, management, and policy coordination between the central and regional governments.
The Chairperson of the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI), Unifah Rosyidi, stated that teacher shortages occur across various regions, including Jakarta.
“The reality is that more teachers are needed. This is not only happening in Jakarta but throughout the country,” Unifah said when contacted by Kompas.com via WhatsApp on Thursday (9/24/2026).
According to Unifah, teacher needs must be assessed based on actual conditions in the field. She believes the government cannot rely solely on data claiming the number of teachers is sufficient without ensuring that data is continuously updated.
“Data issues are very serious. We have repeatedly raised this, but they always say the existing data in Dapodik (Basic Education Data) is enough. The problem is, if the data isn’t updated regularly, how can it be accurate?” she explained.
Unifah added that teacher shortages cannot be solved by simply changing one regulation. Teacher needs are intertwined with a number of other policies, ranging from civil service law, regional autonomy, to national budget allocations.
“Teachers relate to civil servant status (ASN), there are civil service laws, regional autonomy laws, the state budget, and so on,” Unifah said.
Therefore, she emphasized the need for policy synchronization between central and local governments to ensure that teacher deployment truly meets field needs.
“Data issues, management, governance—these are crucial matters that all stakeholders need to assess and listen to so that the fulfillment of teacher requirements is based on actual needs,” she stressed.
This also involves teacher placement. Unifah cited the example of school principals who return to teaching roles as they approach retirement but are assigned to schools lacking sufficient teaching hours.
Such conditions make it difficult for teachers to meet the mandated 24 hours of teaching per week.
She explained that these challenges show that teacher numbers alone are not a sufficient measure. Placement and management must also be adapted to the specific needs of each school.
Beyond quantity and distribution issues, Unifah said PGRI is also pushing for enhanced teacher competency.
She gave examples of competency advancement in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and coding.
