Indonesia Allows Limited Face-to-Face Classes For 2021 – 2022 Academic Year

“The Ministry of Education and Culture should also ensure that the schools fill out a form on the Ministry’s website about their readiness to hold face to face learning To date, just 50 percent of schools [nationwide] filled out the form,” she added.

“Of that number, only 10 percent confirmed that they are ready. For this reason, provincial administrations nationwide should proceed cautiously in proceeding with [opening] schools.”

The government’s decision received mixed reaction from parents.

“I think my child can learn better if their teacher taught them directly in the classroom. His prolonged time at home and the boredom it induces makes him lazy and bored” said 36-year old Sawitri, a mother to a third grader.

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“He lacks focus in online classes, to the point that he does not do his assignments. I am not too worried about him contracting Covid-19, as the correct application of health protocols will protect him from the pandemic,” she asserted.

“My child still plays with the neighbor’s children, though they are often forced to stay at home. It just depends on using face masks and other precautions at all times.”

But for Sutari, the mother of a five-year old child, the pandemic still plays on her mind. “I am concerned that the kindergarten I will enroll him in cannot sufficiently apply health protocols, making him vulnerable to Covid-19,” the city of South Tangerang resident said.

“For that reason, I will defer his enrollment until the pandemic is really over. For now, he can learn from home, as [his father] and I will teach him.”

The moratorium on face to face learning in Indonesia has applied from elementary and secondary schools to universities and other higher education institutions.