JAKARTA. Former principal of SMA 3 state high school in South Jakarta, Retno Listyarti, has said she will challenge the city administration’s decision to remove her from her post following her absence during the recent national examinations. 

Retno, who reportedly left the school for about an hour to do a live interview at a TV station in the morning on the first day of the exam, said she would send a letter of objection regarding the matter to Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama on Monday.

Speaking to the press at the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation office in Central Jakarta on Sunday, Retno — who is also an education activist — said her move was backed by LBH lawyers’ opinion that her removal violated regulations.

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“I previously sent a letter to the governor and the Education Agency head [Arie Budhiman] to apologize because apparently my decision to leave the school for an hour was deemed wrong and I was willing to be punished in accordance with the regulations, but what I got was sudden removal. Apparently, my colleagues at the LBH consider [the removal] a violation of the regulations,” she said.

Retno, who was demoted to teacher at SMA 13 Jakarta, defended her actions, saying that she had agreed to give an interview on reports that exam sheets had been leaked.

“I agreed to give an interview, along with the education minister, for educational reasons. [I] was not representing the FSGI [Federation of Indonesian Teachers Association],” she said.

LBH lawyer Muhammad Isnur pointed out that the sanction imposed on Retno was extreme.

“A presidential regulation stipulates that even a civil servant who does not show up at work or who violates work hours for five days without an acceptable reason only gets a light sanction. The agency did not give Retno a chance to meet with her superiors to explain her actions and it did not even verify the accusation,” he said.

Isnur also criticized the Jakarta Education Agency’s accusation that Retno had ignored her responsibility as a school principal.

“The agency and Governor Ahok immediately issued statements that Retno had prioritized the FSGI over her duty as a principal without verification and soon followed up with the decision letter [to remove Retno]. The decision was made based on personal sentiment rather that professional consideration,” he said, adding that they also planned to take the case to the Indonesian Ombudsman.

Retno emphasized that she did not intend to defend her position as a school principal, saying that, “Even if I won, which means I could be reinstated as a school principal, I would prefer to remain a teacher.”

Retno and several teachers founded the FSGI in 2011 as an alternative to the Association of Indonesian Teachers (PGRI), the biggest teacher organization that is closely linked to the government. (Sita W. Dewi)