Contract Based Teacher

Contract-based teacher in Banten lives in school’s toilet building

She and her husband have been living in the toilet building of the school

she works as a contract teacher in Cigeulis.

They have no choice but to use the toilet building at SD Karyabuana 3 as a shelter

as they have no other place to live.

Their own house collapsed two years ago

because the wood it was made of became old and weathered. (lapuk)

The toilet building is still used by teachers and students every day

The toilet building has been modified to accommodate their household needs.

More walls were built around the toilet, forming a small room

in which they sleep and operate a kiosk to sell snacks.

“Some parts of the toilet were turned into a kitchen.

We sleep [in a room] next to the toilet.

The additional room was built using aid money from the principal,”

She went on to explain how

the principal at first rejected her request to temporarily stay in the school’s toilet building,

but then ended up lending a hand so that

they could have a proper roof above their heads.

“The principal bought us wood. My husband and I built [the additional building].

 Thank God, now we can live comfortably.

With Rp 350,000 (US$25) monthly as a salary as a contract-based teacher and the uncertain income

Ebi earns doing odd jobs, renting a house was not a choice for them. (kerja serabutan)

Nining, has been a contract-based teacher for 15 years,

she wishes that one day she would be promoted to be a permanent teacher and civil servant.

“If I am not promoted, it’s okay, but at least the government has a policy to raise our salary every month.

Small or big [raise], I’ll accept that sincerely,” the mother of two said.

she once thought of leaving her job.

She, however, cancelled her plan when

she realized that she still needs a stable job to pay for her second child’s tuition fees.

Responding to Nining’s experience,

Encep said that the office is attempting to relocate them to a more decent place.