The persistently high contagion of Covid-19 has prompted many schools to continue online learning.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·4 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The persistently high contagion of Covid-19 has prompted many schools to continue online learning. Schools utilize this situation to creatively develop teaching and learning methods that are contextual and of consistent quality.
Suparno Sastro, principal of SMA Labschool ( senior high school) Jakarta, when contacted on Monday (4/1/2021) in Jakarta said his school was organizing online learning (PJJ) with the platform of eLabs (e-learning Labschool). “We keep striving to increase eLabs capacity so that it offers easy access and can accommodate a lot more data,” he said.
Vice principal of State Senior High School (SMA) 6 Jakarta, Husniwati, said her school had decided to continue online learning in the even-numbered semester of 2020/2021. The decision was made by over half of students’ parents who requested that their children be exempt from going back to school. “Students actually want face-to-face learning in class because they get bored of online learning. But their parents are wary of the danger of the Covid-19 pandemic that lingers on. We followed the decision of students’ guardians,” said Husniwati.
In-class learning delayed
The same decision has been adopted by a number of regional administrations in Indonesia. In North Sulawesi, for instance, in-class instruction in schools cannot yet be realized because 15 cities and regencies in the province are still in the status of moderate and high Covid-19 risk zones.
Head of the North Sulawesi Education Office, Grace Punuh, stated her office had permitted schools already prepared to arrange face-to-face instruction. However, none of the 270 state and private SMA and 189 vocational high schools (SMK) in North Sulawesi have carried out in-class instruction. “It’s also dilemmatic to give permission to go to school, lest new clusters arise,” she said.
The city and regency administrations of Bogor, West Java, won’t take the risk of reopening schools over the short term either. Bogor Deputy Mayor Dedie A. Rachim said the daily number of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Bogor city was still high, reaching around 70.“The health and safety of students and all stakeholders of education should come first. We don’t want to take the risk of too hastily deciding to reopen face-to-face learning in schools,” said Dedie.
We don’t want to take the risk of too hastily deciding to reopen face-to-face learning in school.
In Purwakarta regency, West Java, the administration is reviewing the plan for in-person learning in a number of schools in three Covid-19 green-zone districts, which are Maniis, Kiarapedes and Sukasari. “A task force team will evaluate the risk potential in the three districts by consulting the Indonesian Medical Association and the health office,” said Head of the Education Office of Purwakarta, Purwanto.
The increase in Covid-19 cases has led to the extension of online learning in Bandar Lampung until 4 April 2021. In-class learning will only be resumed when the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing Covid-19 subsides and Bandar Lampung secures the green-zone status. The decision to extend the online learning period is contained in the Circular of the Bandar Lampung Mayor No.420/1534/III.01/2020.
Bandar Lampung Mayor Herman HN said in-person teaching and learning could not yet be undertaken as Covid-19 cases kept rising. If in-class instruction is to be resumed, it has the potential to worsen infection that endangers teachers and students.
The suspension of in-class has also been effective in Bekasi city, West Java, and Balikpapan city, East Kalimantan. “We are evaluating. The preparedness for resumption in fact is on the part of the administration, but rather the organizer,” said Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi.
Reopened
Unlike in various other regions, all regions in West Sumatra, except Padang Panjang, have started reopening in-class schools, specifically primary schools (SD) and junior high schools (SMP). The decision to restart in-class instruction was also made in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), particularly for SMA and those of the same level.
West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno said in-class instruction would be evaluated every month. The supervisory team from the police and the public order agency (Satpol PP) in each region are monitoring the implementation of health protocols. If teachers or students test positive for Covid-19, their schools will be closed.
Meanwhile, Head of the NTB Education and Culture Office, Aidy Furqan, said face-to-face instruction in NTB would be limitedly realized by the shift or block system for SMA and schools of the same level with the approval of the NTB Covid-19 Control Task Force.