Education International has learned with great shock and sadness of the untimely death of Dr. Sulistiyo (54), President of the Teachers’ Association of the Republic of Indonesia.
Dr. Sulistiyo, who died on 14 March, was “a key education leader whose influence extended far beyond the borders of Indonesia”, said Education International (EI) General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen in his message to the Teachers’ Association of the Republic of Indonesia (PGRI) Executive.
“At Education International, we will remember Dr. Sulistiyo not only as a dedicated and skillful education union activist, who fought so hard to develop quality education in Indonesia, but also as a friend and comrade who was an inspiration to so many teachers around him, ” he said.
Father figure
Dr. Sulistiyo was “a champion of teachers’ rights, a great leader, a great trade unionist, a very loving husband and father. He was also a father figure to many, living in the hearts of millions of teachers and workers in Indonesia”, echoed EI Asia-Pacific (EIAP) Chief Regional Coordinator for Shashi Bala Singh.
She said Dr. Sulistiyo was instrumental in establishing a very special bond between EI and PGRI, and that his wisdom and experience were appreciated by the EIAP Regional Committee.
Dr. Sulistiyo will be remembered for his services to education and the teaching fraternity for a long time, Singh said.
The PGRI President was also a national Senator, representing Central Java at the Regional Representative Council. First elected for the 2009-2014 period, he was re-elected for the 2014-2019 period.
Background
Born on 12 February 1962, he worked as an elementary school teacher from 1982-1985, before becoming a junior high school teacher and high school teacher from 1985-1987. Between 1985 and 1989, he also taught at SMEA/SMK (secondary) levels.
In 1987, he became a lecturer at the Teachers’ Training College PGRI Semarang, before chairing this institution from 2001 until 2009.
A board member of the PGRI Central Java from 1994 until 2009, he was elected PGRI President for the 2008-2013 period. He had been unanimously reelected for the 2013-2018 period.
Dr. Sulistiyo was also a member of the National Consortium for Teacher Certification Level (2007-2008, 2013-2015).
EI wishes to express its most heartfelt condolences to Dr. Sulistiyo’s family, friends and colleagues.