LEBAK, BANTEN —— Entering the holy month of Ramadan 1443 H, Dompet Dhuafa rolled out assistance in the THR program for teachers, especially those who are still temporary employees. Several elementary schools (SD) in Leuwidamar District, Lebak Regency, Banten, were the targets of the Dompet Dhuafa team to distribute this assistance on Tuesday (3/29/2022).
SDN 3 Cisimeut Raya was the first destination for the Dompet Dhuafa team to distribute aid to honorary teachers at the school. Of the total of seven teachers, including the principal, five of them are still honorary teachers who only rely on salaries from School Operational Assistance, commonly known as BOS funds. However, this is not a large amount to support their welfare.
To make ends meet, these honorary teachers usually take on side jobs such as selling goods or doing odd jobs after teaching at school. This is what Zakaria, or Jaka as he is fondly called, a fifth-grade teacher who has been teaching since 2004 and is still an honorary teacher, does.
His meager income led Jaka to leave his profession as a teacher and work as an employee to earn a higher income. However, he was only able to last three months because he always remembered the faces of his students in everything he did. This touched Jaka’s heart and he decided to return to his profession as a teacher.
“I once tried to leave the world of education due to family issues and life outside, but I only lasted about three months. During those three months, all I could think about were the children’s faces, so they kept coming to mind. I thought about it again—the pay here is higher, but the benefits of teaching at school are greater,” Jaka shared after class ended.
Moving on from the first location, the Dompet Dhuafa team headed to the next school, SDN 3 Nayagati, which is also located in Leuwidamar District. Surnata, the principal of SDN 3 Nayagati, welcomed the team and explained the condition of the school and the teaching staff he leads. He considers the teachers who teach at SDN 3 Nayagati to be like his own family, so he is very concerned about their welfare both at home and at school.
“This is the condition of our school. There are seven teachers, including myself. For me, they are like my own family, so I want them to receive more attention from the relevant parties, especially regarding their status as temporary employees. I want them to be appointed as civil servants immediately. They are native residents here and have served this school for a long time,” said Surnata.
The assistance from Dompet Dhuafa is considered to be able to bring a little happiness to honorary teachers, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. This can be seen on the face of Cucu, one of the honorary teachers at SDN 3 Nayagati, who has been looking for additional income by teaching Early Childhood Education (PAUD) with other honorary teachers at the school in the afternoon.
“Besides teaching at school, my other income comes from teaching at the PAUD here in the afternoons with other teachers, but the salary from PAUD isn’t much. I have also been trying to be appointed as a civil servant, but because my major in college was Islamic Religious Education, I need to adjust first to become an Elementary School Teacher. It has been a long time, but I am patient; what else can I do?” explained Cucu.
Cucu and her colleagues are very grateful for the assistance they have received from Dompet Dhuafa. Entering the holy month of Ramadan, Cucu hopes that this assistance will be beneficial for her family and the extended family of SDN 3 Nayagati. “Thank you very much for the assistance you have given us in this remote area. Hopefully, this will be beneficial for us in carrying out our religious duties during Ramadan this year. Blessings for all of us,” concluded Cucu. (Dompet Dhuafa / Arlen)