Make sure the Internet Subsidy Reaches Targeted Recipients

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A student follows a lesson broadcast through a walkie-talkie on Thursday (27/8/2020) in Mojo village, Pasarkliwon, Solo, Central Java. As many as 29 sixth graders of SD Negeri Mojo state elementary school follow their classes remotely using a handheld transceiver, some of which the school has provided. The use of VHF radio waves allows teachers to interact with students without the burden of paying for mobile data in providing online learning activities. Online classes are held from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

The government’s internet subsidy worth Rp 7.2 trillion (about US$490 million) is expected to ease the burden on students and teachers in conducting online learning.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The decision made by the Education and Culture Ministry to provide Rp 7.2 trillion in subsidies to support students, teachers and lectures conducting long-distance learning has received appreciation. The policy can reduce the burden on students, teachers and lecturers in conducting online learning.

With the number of students, teachers and lecturers in the reaching more than 55.7 million people, the ministry must ensure that the subsidy for the phone credits and internet packages reach the targeted recipients. The distribution of the subsidy should also be based on the needs and should not be given in the form of cash, but in the form of phone credits or data packages.

Also read: Solutions for Education

The amount of subsidized internet quota is set at 35 gigabytes (GB) per month for a student of elementary, junior and senior high schools, 42 GB per month for a teacher, and 50 GB for a university student and a lecturer. This internet subsidy will be given from September to December 2020.

It is not yet known how the internet subsidy will be distributed. During a hearing with Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday (27/8/2020), Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim only stated that there was a budget allocation to subsidize internet quota (data package).

Nadiem said the ministry had received an additional budget of Rp.8.9 trillion. Of the total, about Rp 7.2 trillion will be used to provide internet data package to support online learning, and the remaining Rp 1.7 trillion for additional allowances for teachers, lecturers and professors.

Kompas/Priyombodo

Irfan, who has hearing impairment, uses sign language during a 30-minute daily online class on Wednesday (26/8/2020) from his house in Larangan, Tangerang municipality, Banten. His disability has not dampened Irfan\'s enthusiasm for studying at the SLB Sumber Budi school for disabled children in South Jakarta.

"So far, we have been struggling internally to get an additional budget, a new budget to be able to answer people\'s concerns. With the support of several other ministers, we have received assistance to provide phone credits for students to support the distance learning [PJJ]," said Nadiem.

Members of House Commission X appreciated the ministry’s decision because the subsidy would help students, teachers and lecturers, who have suffered financial problems due to the expensive data packages to conduct online learning. However, this subsidy can only be given to students who have gadgets.

"What about students who are in the 3T area [the frontier, outermost and remote regions] ? Maybe they don\'t have cell phones,” said Sofyan Tan, a member of the Commission X representing the PDI-P faction. He hoped the school operational assistance (BOS) funds can be also used to help students in the 3T areas.

Also read: Students are Vulnerable to Contagion

A similar sentiment was conveyed by a member of the Commission X from the Democratic Party faction, Dede Yusuf. "There are areas where there is no internet connection. What will they (students there) get?,” he said.

Offline learning

The deputy secretary-general of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers\' Unions (FSGI), Satriwan Salim, also welcomed the internet subsidy policy because it would reduce the burden of teachers and students in conducting online learning. He hopes that the subsidy will be provided in the form of internet data packages directly distributed to the mobile phones of teachers and students.

"However, it is unfortunate that the Minister (Nadiem) only discussed the internet data package assistance for teachers and students conducting online learning. Meanwhile, teachers and students, who have to conduct offline learning, are not discussed, and they even seem neglected. There is no form of assistance for teachers and students conducting offline learning. This should also be a concern because the real problem is on the offline learning," said Satriwan.

However, teachers also face a problem to help them because their residential areas are difficult to access due to geographical condition, Satriwan said.

Many students in remote areas have to carry out offline learning, not only due to the lack of mobile devices, but also due to lack of electricity and internet connections. However, teachers also face a problem to help them because their residential areas are difficult to access due to geographical condition, Satriwan said.

Poor children left behind

The latest report from the United Nations Children\'s Fund (Unicef) indicates that one-third of children worldwide or 463 million children experience difficulties following online learning during the pandemic. It is also a concern that children from poor and rural households are most prone to lagging behind during school closures.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Students take part in learning activities under an outdoor marquee provided by the Maluku Police’s Mobile Brigade unit on Wednesday (26/8/2020) cities in Ambon, Maluku. The Ambon Mobile Brigade Headquarters and nine regional Mobile Brigade units are providing the facilities, which comes with free wi-fi, to support children from underprivileged families in the province.

"The large number of children whose education has been suspended for months and without any certainty indicates an emergency situation in the education sector," said Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore.

Also read: Improving Tests Before Reopening Schools

In Indonesia, a survey conducted by Unicef in cooperation with the Education and Culture Ministry shows that around 35 percent of students reported poor internet connections. The survey also indicates that 73 percent of children with disabilities have difficulty studying at home.

Not ready to open yet

Commissioner for the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), Retno Listyarti, said that the reopening of schools in several places also posed problems. KPAI doubted the use of health protocols prepared by schools. In addition, the indicators used by the Education and Culture Ministry in assessing the appropriateness of health protocols at the schools are not clear. This can be seen in the data on learning readiness posted on educational website Data.kemdik-bud.go.id.

Also read: Nonpermanent Teachers’ Woes amid the Pandemic

According to him, the measurement indicators used by the ministry is too general, using only checklists of “available”, “not available”, and “Not yet” in answering 11 questions regarding health protocols.

"We encourage parents to participate in ensuring that the cleanliness and availability of health facilities in schools are met before face-to-face classes at school are resumed again. If the requirement is not fulfilled, then the school may secretly open face to face learning. We hope the public will dare to report it, "he said.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Three students of SMA Negeri 6 state senior high school follow online classes on Tuesday (25/8/2020) at the Bukit Batu Police station in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. The Bukit Batu Police is providing free wi-fi and desks arranged to resemble a classroom, so students can stay focused on their schoolwork.

In Kota Pariaman, West Sumatra, for example, the local city government has again closed face-to-face school activities following a spike in positive cases of Covid-19. "We are closing face-to-face learning activities again because there are many additional new cases of Covid-19. The schools will be closed for about two weeks, “said the head of the Pariaman city education office, Kanderi. (IKA/MED/S ON/JOL)