Schools Not Yet Safe

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Wearing her school uniform, Agda Baline Swarahati, a 4th grade student of Santo Antonius Elementary School from Padua, works on Physical, Sports, and Health (PJOK) subject during the year-end assessment, which is followed from her house in Nusa Loka, BSD City, South Tangerang, Banten, Tuesday (9/6/2020). The Covid-19 pandemic has forced children to follow all instruction from home.

As school closures have negatively impacted learning, countries all over the world are beginning to completely reopen schools amid the pandemic.

The Indonesian government plans to fully reopen schools across the country in July 2021, with limited face-to-face instruction and the implementation of strict health protocols. Schools where all teachers and staff have received COVID-19 vaccinations are required to open immediately.

Since November 2020, schools in all zones are allowed to reopen on the condition that they implement health protocols and obtain permission from the local administration. Until March 23, 2021, 22 percent of schools have conducted limited face-to-face learning.

Also read: Health Protocols Prerequisite for Reopening Schools

Schools will be allowed to reopen after fulfilling a checklist of health protocols to be implemented, as stipulated in a joint ministerial decree (SKB) involving four ministers. However, COVID-19 clusters have emerged in a number of boarding schools (Kompas, 1/4/2021), indicating that reopening schools may still pose a high risk for students.

According to the Indonesian Ombudsman Greater Jakarta Representative (ORI), regarding the reopening of schools in Bekasi municipality and Bogor regency, West Java, schools and local administrations are still too unprepared to reopen schools. The implementation of health protocols is also still lacking.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

The new students joined the school environment introduction (MPLS) activity at SMK Negeri 2 Salatiga, Salatiga City, Central Java, Monday (07/13/2020). Health protocols and distance restrictions are implemented during activities in schools to prevent Covid-19 transmission

In many countries, schools have reopened when COVID-19 cases in the community have decreased and the infection rate is close to zero. Teachers and students have been required to also be regularly tested. Though COVID-19 cases in Indonesia have begun to decrease, the infection rate still stands at around 12 percent, and testing within the community have not been optimal either. The pandemic is not yet under control.

Vaccinations also do not guarantee safety from COVID-19 as teachers can still be infected and spread the virus.

The government’s move to prioritize vaccinations for teachers and educational staff should also be appreciated. However, with a teacher or educational staff to student ratio of around 1:10, it is impossible to achieve herd immunity in schools because students have not yet been vaccinated. Vaccinations also do not guarantee safety from COVID-19 as teachers can still be infected and spread the virus.

Also read: Opening Schools during the Pandemic

With the pandemic yet to be under control, sending children to school will increase their risks of being exposed to the novel coronavirus. Though COVID-19 cases in children are generally mild –asymptomatic even – it does not mean that they are not dangerous.

The death rate reaches 3 percent, and cases in children range from 9-10 percent.

Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) chairman Aman B Pulungan said that COVID-19 can have long-term effects in children and be fatal. The death rate reaches 3 percent, and cases in children range from 9-10 percent. This figure is comparatively high to other countries, where there are almost no cases of death due to COVID-19 in children.

Also read: Maintaining Teacher Quality

Ideally, reopening schools is a priority to recover from the impact of this pandemic. However, controlling COVID-19 cases among the community should still be a major consideration. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reopening schools only when the COVID-19 infection rate is less than 5 percent.

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.

Government and education stakeholders must strengthen their commitment and supervision to prepare schools when it is safe for them to reopen.

(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).