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

With less than a month until the new school year starts, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto said that he has been working with the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The cooperation is to discuss technical details and conduct consultation to create a health protocol.

“The health ministry will prepare health facilities and infrastructures such as community health centers (Puskesmas) and other health facilities around the schools,” Terawan said during the announcement of the Guide to Organizing Teaching and Learning Activities amid a Pandemic on June 15.

The health ministry seeks to support promotive, preventive, and consultative assistance in monitoring school activities.

The assistance will continue to be offered for as long as Indonesia has to battle with the coronavirus pandemic.

Read also: Indonesian Covid-19 Cases Approach 40 Thousand

“We will repeatedly extend our assistance and hopefully the priority on safety and health of our students will be maintained and that teaching and learning activities will go smoothly,” said Terawan.

The health ministry together with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the National Covid-19 Task Force, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management, and DPR RI Commission X previously announced plans to create a ‘Guideline for the Implementation of Learning Activities in the New Teaching and Academic Year during the Coronavirus Pandemic.’

Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim stated, “The principle behind the issuance of the education policy amid the coronavirus pandemic is to prioritize the health and safety of students, educators, teaching staff, families, and society.” 

(Writer: Deti Mega Purnamasari | Editor: Fabian Januarius Kuwado) 

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/15/18565081/sambut-tahun-ajaran-baru-kemenkes-siapkan-fasilitas-kesehatan