JAKARTA, Republika — The Indonesian Association of Islamic Teacher is asking for the clearance of extra profession allowance for the teachers who are certified. Since, the non-religion teachers under the National Education Department have already been gotten their extra profession allowance.

Afrizal Abuzhar, the chief of the Indonesian Association of Islamic Teacher, on Thursday (12/3), to Republika, said, “The islamic teachers all over Indonesia keep on urged us to ask and struggle to get the allowance,” The association, he further said, have the islamic teachers from elementary schools, junior high schools, up to senior/vocational high schools.

Based on the regulation, he said, those who are certified, will be given extra allowance, which is their one month salary. He said, “The problem is that the teachers who were certified in the year 2007, have not been paid up to the moment. Whereas, based on the regulation, it should be paid in the year 2008”.

Responding to the demand, Bahrul Dayat, the Secretary General of Department of Religious Affairs has already prepared the budget to pay the extra profession allowance for both the religion teachers and madrasah teachers.

He said, “However, based on the regulation from the finance department, there should be a presidential regulation,” At the moment, the Department of Religious Affairs is preparing for the regulation. According to Bahrul, the back pay of the extra profession allowance will be paid in the 2009 budget. He said, “We discussed it as soon as possible and hopefully soon can be finished so that on March or April can be processed,” .osa