DENPASAR ~ The Bali government is to certify 3,778 schoolteachers in Bali this year, a move that will see a standardization of teacher quality across the island.

The certification is also necessary for teachers to get subsidies that cover housing and healthcare.

The certification process is currently underway at Ganesha Education University in Singaraja and is expected to be finished by January 2008.

“Earlier this week we selected the assessor team that will screen the teachers’ portfolios,” university rector I Nyoman Sudiana told The Bali Times.

The certification is being carried out by the government to standardize the quality of teachers in Bali, particularly Denpasar.

According to Made Swardika of Bali Education and Culture office, the certification will include all teachers, whether or not they have received a masters degree.

“Those with a masters degree will still need to take the test, although the degree itself will mean a significantly higher score,” he told The Times.