A teacher’s work is often described as priceless, but one Indonesian educator’s final salary slip has left many netizens heartbroken.
Recently, an Indonesian contract teacher known as Bu Ijah went viral after sharing that she had decided to stop teaching after 40 years of service.
In a TikTok video posted on her account @buijah28, Bu Ijah, whose real name is Adriyani, calmly revealed her final salary slip after decades of dedicating her life to education.
Final pay was only around RM120
According to Bu Ijah, the final amount printed on her salary slip was Rp414,000, which is roughly around RM120.
To put that into perspective, Malaysia’s current minimum wage stands at RM1,700 a month.
This means Bu Ijah’s final pay was not even 10% of Malaysia’s minimum wage, despite her having spent four decades teaching students.
Even when compared to Kota Tangerang, where she had served as a teacher, the amount appears painfully small.
The city’s 2026 minimum wage is more than Rp5.3 million, making Bu Ijah’s final Rp414,000 only a small fraction of what a worker there would normally be benchmarked against.
Taught for 40 years
According to Muria News, Bu Ijah had reportedly spent many years teaching at a public junior high school before continuing her service at a private vocational school in Kota Tangerang, Banten.
Aside from being an educator, she is also a writer and has authored a novel titled Lentera Putih.
However, what touched many people was not just the small amount on her salary slip, but the way she spoke about it.
Instead of blaming the school, foundation, or government, Bu Ijah said she accepted her fate with an open heart.
She even said that if anyone had to be blamed, she would blame herself for choosing to become a contract teacher.
A bigger issue behind one salary slip
For many netizens, Bu Ijah’s story was more than just one teacher’s retirement.
It also highlighted the wider struggles faced by contract teachers in Indonesia, many of whom continue teaching despite receiving very low pay.
Bu Ijah also reminded the public not to look down on contract teachers, saying their role in the education system should never be underestimated.
