Government Advises Schools in Indonesia to Immediately Begin Limited Face-to-Face Learning

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim has recommended schools across the country to partially reopen for face-to-face learning as Indonesia has begun rolling out the Covid-19 jab drive for five million teachers and school staffers. 

This statement came after his working visit to East Kalimantan to have a closer look at the implementation of limited in-class learning in Balikpapan city and Penajam Paser Utara regency on April 6-7.  

"We should immediately carry out a limited face-to-face learning so that we can catch up," said Nadiem in a press statement on Thursday, April 8.

The minister said that he gave the green light to limited face-to-face learning since the beginning of this year, but it was done only in a few schools. 

Also read: Indonesia’s Health Ministry Prepares for New School Year Amid the Pandemic

Since teachers and educators have received priority for the Covid-19 vaccination, Nadiem said, there should be no reason for schools not to carry out the face-to-face learning that follows strict school guidelines and health protocols.

A Joint Decree of the Four Ministers on Guidelines for Implementation of Learning in the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Pandemic (Covid-19) published in March mentioned that the government has allowed schools to resume face-to-face learning on a limited basis.

The activities can be done in the regions that are classified as the Covid-19 green zone, areas with no record of coronavirus transmission, and the yellow zones, a low risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Also read: It’s Back to School for 1.4 Million Pupils in Wuhan

"The decree is already in effect. There is no need to wait until July 2021 to conduct a limited face-to-face school," said Nadiem.

However, only 56 percent of schools in the green zone and 28 percent of schools in the yellow zone have carried out in-class teaching and learning activities.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, the provincial government has officially conducted face-to-face learning trials starting on April 7, and the activities will last until April 29. The trials are conducted by 85 schools that have passed the assessment made by the Jakarta Education Office. The assessment comprises the readiness of a school to provide the infrastructure to implement health protocols as well as the health conditions of its teachers and educators.

(Writers: Rahel Narda Chaterine, Haryanti Puspa Sari, Ayunda Pininta Kasih | Editors : Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Icha Rastika, Ayunda Pininta Kasih)

Sources: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/08/11435731/mendikbud-nadiem-minta-sekolah-segera-lakukan-pembelajaran-tatap-muka

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/07/11434211/sekolah-tatap-muka-terbatas-dimulai-idi-protokol-kesehatan-harus-diawasi

https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2021/04/07/073948671/uji-coba-sekolah-tatap-muka-jakarta-dimulai-keputusan-di-orangtua