Jakarta to Continue Trial Face-to-Face Classes in Schools

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Deputy Jakarta Governor Ahmad Riza Patria has announced that schools in the capital will continue the second stage trial period of face-to-face classes from June 9 to 26, even as the authorities detected three new Covid-19 variants in Jakarta.

Riza called on schools to carry out health protocols in a disciplined manner as they return for the 2021-2022 school year next July.

“The limited face-to-face classes are an invaluable means to educate the public on carrying out health protocols [in schools]. They will be subject to reviews on a daily basis,“ said the Gerindra Party politician on Tuesday.

Also read: Indonesia Deemed to be Ready For Face-to-Face Classes in Schools

“The second stage of face-to-face classes will stop once its test period ends. While I am certain that the classes can be held safely and smoothly, I urge the public to be more careful and closely comply with health protocols.”

Riza’s upbeat assertion contrasts with State Elementary School No. 08 or Kenari Elementary School’s (SD Kenari 08 Pagi) decision to stop the trial period for face-to-face classes, after school principal Hardi Priyono and two teachers recently tested positive for Covid-19.

“One of the teachers showed symptoms of Covid-19 and was confirmed positive for the coronavirus following a personal swab test. We then tested [Kenari School’s] faculty and staff after the finding,” he said.

“The tests showed that two others, a teacher and myself, tested positive [for Covid-19].” 

Hardi added that he was in close physical contact with the Covid-19 positive teacher, whose identity has been withheld, when the person was still teaching. “We halted face-to-face classes since last Thursday, June 10, to prevent further transmission of the pandemic.”

Also read: Indonesia Allows Limited Face-to-Face Classes For 2021-2022 Academic Year

He asserted that the school also used the Corona Likelihood Metric or CLM, a machine learning apps to test and screen for Covid-19. “Fortunately, none of our students are Covid-19 positive, as they did not have any direct physical contact with the first Covid-19 positive teacher,” Hardi noted.

Jakarta has carried out the second stage trial period for face-to-face classes in 226 schools which passed the Jakarta Education Services and Covid-19 Task Force’s assessment.

Since then three schools, the highly rated MH Thamrin State High School, the Jakarta Islamic Junior High School, and Kenari Elementary School halted their trial face-to-face classes.

The former stopped face-to-face classes after the authorities named nearby subdistricts as red zones,, while teachers in the latter two schools tested positive for Covid-19.

Jakarta has 19,244 Covid-19 cases, as coronavirus cases a surge there and the rest of Indonesia after the Eid al-Fitr or Idul Fitri holidays.

(Writers: Singgih Wiryono, Ihsanuddin | Editor : Irfan Maullana)

Sources: 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/06/15/19390741/kasus-covid-19-tinggi-wagub-dki-uji-coba-belajar-tatap-muka-tetap-jalan?page=all#page2. 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/06/15/15315561/dua-guru-dan-kepsek-sdn-kenari-08-positif-covid-19-ptm-dihentikan.