Professor of Geophysics Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Djoko Santoso as an expert presented by the Government to deliver his expertise in the judicial review hearing of Law on Teachers and Lecturers, Monday (18/12) in the Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

The Constitutional Court (MK) held a follow-up session of the judicial review of Law No. 14/2005 on Teachers and Lecturers on Monday (18/12) afternoon. The hearing of Case No. 87/PUU-XV/2017 was to listen to the statement of a Government Expert, Professor of Geophysics Engineering at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Djoko Santoso.

Djoko explained that the role of professors becomes very important because they must be able to create an academic culture. In addition, professors should be able to manage learning and research as well as performing community services. Djoko explained, professors are not only responsible for giving lectures and seminars but also conduct researches, especially postgraduate, to publish in journals reviewed by other experts. He deems it to require a complete education.

"Professors also have a duty to foster younger teaching staff. On the other hand, professors are in fact not only recognized locally, but also regionally and internationally. So, if we look at what professors have to do, naturally they should have a complete education. The principle of higher education system for complete education is education at the doctoral or undergraduate level. We show that their obligations are not only in the process of managing education, but also on research," Djoko said.

Djoko noted that most of the professors in Indonesia have not performed their duties optimally. When compared to those in the United States and China, the works of Indonesian professors amounted to only about 54 thousand.

"We can compare it to the United States, where professors’ works reach 10,000,000. China around 5,000,000, Indonesia 54,000. Meanwhile, when compared to Malaysia, their number is four times, or 200,000 thousand. Vietnam is slightly below us and the Philippines is still below us," Djoko said.

The Petitioner is Suharto, a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering of Brawijaya University in Malang. He reviewed Article 48 paragraph (3) of the a quo law that reads, "The requirement to occupy an academic professorship is the academic qualification of a doctorate."

The Petitioner feels that his constitutional rights were violated by the enactment of the provision because he could not be promoted. Promotion or position advancement has very wide implications for the welfare of lecturers. (Nano Tresna Arfana/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)