Prioritize Safety of Everyone at School

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

An officer from the City of Tangerang office of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) disinfects SDN 1 Tangerang state elementary school, Banten, Wednesday (3/6/2020). Spraying is carried out to sterilize the school environment of Covid-19. Many schools are not ready to reopen face-to-face teaching and learning activities physically. Teachers are still having difficulty implementing the Covid-19 preventive health protocol. Meanwhile, many parents are hesitant to allow their children to go back to school in the middle of the pandemic.

Ahead of the start of the new school year on 13 July 2020, the government has yet to make a decision on how school learning activities will look like moving forward. Whatever the decision is, the safety of children, teachers and parents must be the top priority.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS— As of Sunday (7/6/2020), the start of the 2020-2021 school year remained on 13 July 2020. However, the Education and Culture Ministry has not decided whether students will continue with long-distance learning using the internet or if schools will resume in-class learning. Many have warned that, moving forward, education policies must prioritize the protection of everyone at school against Covid-19.

At least three suggestions have emerged for the learning model for the new school year. First is to continue with long-distance learning nationwide. This policy is considered safer as it will prevent Covid-19 spread at schools, namely among students, teachers, school workers and parents. This will be in line with the spirit of Education and Culture Ministerial Circular No. 4/2020 on education policy during pandemic.

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The second option is to have schools resume in-class learning activities with adjustments in line with health protocols, including enforcing physical distance rule during learning hours, washing hands and wearing masks. The third option is to use zoning rules, wherein schools in Covid-19 red zones will remain closed and rely on long-distance learning, while those in so-called green zones can reopen while adhering to health protocols.

An Indonesian Teachers Union (IGI) survey involving 4,468 parents showed that 85.3 percent of parents refused to send their children to school during the pandemic.

An Indonesian Teachers Union (IGI) survey involving 4,468 parents showed that 85.3 percent of parents refused to send their children to school during the pandemic. Scores of parents said that they were either unconvinced (48.7 percent) or doubtful (35.2 percent) that schools would be able to impose strict health protocols. Only 16.1 percent of parents were convinced.

“Some parents said they would rather have their children left behind [in school] but alive and healthy, rather than have them smart but ill or dying,” IGI chairman R Ramli Rahim said on Saturday (6/6).

Despite various problems having emerged in online learning, some parents refuse to send their children back to school during the pandemic. Veronika Nuryanti, a 41-year-old mother of three, each in elementary school, middle school and high school, said that she wanted her children to stay at home.

For safety reasons, teachers are also reluctant to have schools reopened next month. “We are not ready,” Indonesian Teachers’ Unions Federation (FSGI) deputy secretary-general Satriwan Salim said. Satriwan is also a teacher at SMA Labschool high school in Jakarta.

Read also:Schools Not Ready to Reopen

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Parents of sixth graders collect learning outcome reports at SDN Malaka Jaya 05 Pagi state elementary school, East Jakarta, Thursday (4/6/2020), which will be used to register for junior high school. The Jakarta administration has set the 2020/2021 school year to begin on 13 July while awaiting the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the new school year officially began on 13 July, it does not necessarily mean the school is reopened. This must wait for the decision of Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, based on the data and whether or not Jakarta is safe for activities again. Now, schools are busy accepting new students and preparing teaching materials and techniques, because it is likely that the distance learning method will continue to be applied in the new school year.

Decision awaited

While waiting for the government’s decision on the learning model for the new school year, schools across regions are preparing various anticipatory measures, in line with the policies of regional administrations and education agencies.

SDN 55 Palembang, South Sumatra, state elementary school principal Rohana said that her school had prepared proper health protocols, in the wake of a Palembang education agency circular on learning activities in the new normal.

Teachers have returned to schools on Wednesday (3/6) after spending two months working from home. “Teachers gather at schools to prepare end-of-school-year reports for students, the graduation announcement and the new school year,” she said.

If the number of cases goes down in June, in-class learning may resume with strict health protocols.

East Java education agency chair Wahid Wahyudi said that his office would adjust learning model with the latest Covid-19 situation. If the number of cases goes down in June, in-class learning may resume with strict health protocols. “There is a possibility that classes are held in shifts,” he said.

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The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has requested the government under the single command of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to prioritize child protection during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is hoped that the President would issue a statement on the start of the new school year to end debates surrounding learning models. “It is better to delay all face-to-face learning activities until things are truly safe for the sake of schoolchildren’s safety,” KPAI chair Susanto said.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A teacher explains the list of learning outcomes to parents of sixth graders at SDN Malaka Jaya 05 Pagi state elementary school, East Jakarta, Thursday (6/4/2020). The list of learning outcomes is used to register for junior high school. The Jakarta administration has set the 2020/2021 school year to begin on 13 July while awaiting the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the new school year officially began on 13 July, it does not necessarily mean the school is reopened. This must wait for the decision of Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, based on the data and whether or not Jakarta is safe for activities again. Now, schools are busy accepting new students and preparing teaching materials and techniques, because it is likely that the distance learning method will continue to be applied in the new school year.

Deliberation continues

Education and Culture Ministry spokesperson Evy Mulyani said the start of the new school year did not necessarily mean that in-class learning activities would immediately resume. Long-distance learning remains the preferred choice in Covid-19 yellow and red zones. The ministry will discuss the reopening of schools in green zones with the national Covid-19 mitigation task force and relevant health protocols with the Health Ministry. Schools in green zones cannot be immediately reopened without going through strict procedures. Schools in green zones that are considered unable to fulfill health protocols will not be reopened and must continue long-distance learning.

“The health and safety of everyone at school [students, teachers and parents] is our priority. The reopening of schools in green zones will be carried out extra carefully and in line with health protocols,” Evy said.

Local regional heads hold the right to decide whether or not schools can reopen, based on considerations of local health professionals, such as local members of the Indonesian Pediatricians Association (IDAI).

Previously, in a virtual discussion themed “Children, Schools and Pandemic-Era Protection” in Jakarta late last week, Education and Culture Ministry early childhood, elementary and secondary education director general Hamid Muhammad said it would be possible to reopen schools in the 102 regencies and cities declared as Covid-19 green zones. Local regional heads hold the right to decide whether or not schools can reopen, based on considerations of local health professionals, such as local members of the Indonesian Pediatricians Association (IDAI).

“When the administrations of cities and regencies declared as Covid-19 green zones decide to reopen schools and these schools say that they are ready, but most parents reject the decision, the schools must accept the rejection. Online learning must be continued. The local education agency cannot force decisions [on parents],” Hamid said.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Parents of students at Al-Quran Plus Kusrini Kindergarten, Pesanggrahan in South Jakarta deliver their children’s tests for the even semester of the 2019/2020 school year to a teacher on Friday (5/6/2020). The test had to be done by students in their homes during the distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The school does not carry out tests online because the material for kindergarten students is difficult to apply such as drawing, writing and coloring. Access to facilities and internet cost are also problems for conducting online tests.

Nahdlatul Ulama Teachers Association deputy chair Aris Adi Leksono said providing education was mandated by law as it was related to the nation’s future. “However, this willingness to serve must be accompanied with an assurance of health and safety [for everyone at school] from all relevant parties, especially the government,” he said.(MED/SON/IKA/TAN/DIT/VIO/KOR/NSA/RAM/BRO/ETA/RTG/BRO)