In Person Learning Overshadowed by Finding of New Covid-19 Cases

Schools can be reopened as long as they meet a number of requirements. In addition to a low risk of Covid-19 transmission, it must be ensured that there is a high vaccination rate and a health protocol is implemented.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

Learning activities in a class at SDN 07 Cideng, Jakarta, Friday (24/9/2021). SDN 07 Cideng is one of the schools that hold limited face-to-face learning (PTM) in Jakarta.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The reopening of schools has been encouraged following the easing of the multi-tiered public activity restrictions (PPKM). The government believes it is becoming increasingly urgent to reopen schools, but it must be accompanied by the implementation of a strict health protocol.

The resumption of in-person learning has also been encouraged because long-distance learning in Indonesia is considered not ideal, in addition to the decline in achievement or learning loss. The World Bank estimates students could experience between 0.9 to 1.2 years of learning loss during the 1.5-year school closure.

Therefore, limited face-to-face learning activities in regions implementing PPKM levels 1-3 is also encouraged as long as they apply health protocols.

Although a number of efforts have been made to prevent the spread of Covid-19, transmission in schools continues, the Education and Culture Ministry’s Early Childhood Education, Basic Education and Secondary Education Director General Jumeri said on Friday that as many as 222 teachers and school staff and 156 students had been reported to have contracted Covid-19.

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A number of schools in Jakarta, Padang Panjang in West Sumatra and Purbalingga in Central Java were closed due to the spread of Covid-19 following the resumption of in-person learning.

At SMA 1 senior high school in Padang Panjang, as many as 56 students were exposed to Covid-19. Last week, 48 of the students tested negative based on PCR swab test results. "Some of the students who have tested negative have been picked up by their parents, while others are still waiting in the dormitory," said the principal of the Padang Panjang senior high school, Sefriadi.

According to Sefriadi, the school had recently asked for a permit from the city government to resume in-person learning but they had not yet received a definite answer. Limited face-to-face learning could only be held if all students isolated in the dormitory had tested negative for Covid-19, he said.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

Learning activities at SMAN 25 Jakarta on Friday (24/9/2021). SMAN 25 Jakarta is one of the schools that holds limited face-to-face learning (PTM) as of August 30, 2021.

During the limited face-to-face learning in the past month, the Jakarta Education Office has also closed seven schools. Of the seven schools, six were closed because positive Covid-19 cases were discovered, and the other school was closed for violating health protocols. Meanwhile, an elementary school in Jakarta, namely SD Klender 03, was named a Covid-19 cluster after two of the school’s students tested positive for the disease. A coronavirus cluster occurs when there are at least two confirmed cases in the same area at the same time.

Jakarta Education Agency head Nahdiana explained that his office had introduced a standard procedure for the emergency brake of in-person learning activities. If some of the students test positive for Covid-19, schools can be temporarily closed for 3 x 24 hours to be disinfected.

“The Jakarta Education Agency in collaboration with the Health Agency conduct periodic antigen swab tests in schools that carry out limited face-to-face learning, to see the positivity rate in schools," said Nahdiana.

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Despite the reported findings of new Covid-19 cases during the in-person learning activities, the education and culture ministry remains confident that limited face-to-face learning can be continued. In addition to the readiness of the schools to ensure the safety of students from the spread of Covid-19, local health agencies are also required to conduct random testing and tracing at schools that have resumed in-person learning.

During his recent visits to a number of regions, Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim reiterated the need to immediately resume in-person learning activities. "We have asked the local government to save our children from learning loss by allowing schools to conduct limited face-to-face learning, according to the joint decrees of four ministers," said Nadiem.

The head of SMAN 6 Yogyakarta, Siti Hajarwati, said limited face-to-face learning activities at her school had begun last Monday. According to government regulations, 50 percent of students at most can attend in-person learning.

To avoid crowds, the arrival and departure times of students who attend in-person learning are divided into two shifts.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

Class XI students of SMK Negeri 38 Central Jakarta did a cake-making practicum, Friday (9/24/2021). This activity is part of the face-to-face learning that has been taking place since the end of August 2021.

100 deaths per week

Indonesian Pediatrics Association (IDAI) chairman Aman B. Pulungan, said the number of children who were infected and died due to Covid-19 was still high. From June to the end of August 2021, the number of children who died from Covid-19 reached 100 children per week.

"We do not criticize the PPKM level. The data indicated that in August there were still many children who died and the number of new cases was still increasing. Then, in September, we started intensively limited in-person learning. So, you have to be careful,” said Aman.

Children who have not been vaccinated should not be allowed.

According to Aman, in-person learning can be allowed as long as the health and safety of the children can be protected. Therefore, in-person learning should not be carried out hastily and massively, but with careful calculations. It is important to require vaccination both for teachers, education personnel, children and children\'s families.

Aman emphasized that the limited face-to-face learning should be conducted in schools that have been verified to meet health protocols, have a system of testing, tracing and treatment, and have imposed vaccination requirements. "Children who have not been vaccinated should not be allowed," said Aman.

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Retno Listyarti, a commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission, said allowing in-person learning in areas where the rate of case transmission was still above 5 percent, and in areas with poor compliance in implementing health protocols, was a risky decision. According to her, the child\'s right to life is the most important thing after the child\'s right to health and the right to education. "The argument is that if the child is healthy and alive, all the lessons left behind can still be caught up," said Reno.

Dicky Budiman, an Indonesian epidemiologist at Griffith University, argues that the reopening of schools must be carried out gradually and there should be risk mitigation, with a low transmission rate. "Don’t let cases decrease on paper only, that is, decrease because testing and tracing are not being carried out," he said.

The discovery of Covid-19 cases in schools during the limited face-to-face learning activities indicate that the detection and mitigation system in coping with Covid-19 transmission has worked. "This is an important resource and during this pandemic it must be maintained to prevent cases from growing. It needs to be understood, the potential for Covid-19 cases in schools will still exist, therefore the detection system must be further strengthened," he said.

The limited face-to-face learning activities should comply with health protocols. However, based on data on the school.data.kemdikbud.go.id website on Sunday, not all schools had reported their Covid-19 cases. Of the total 537,302 schools, only 59.35 percent or 318,870 schools have reported and 40.65 percent or 218,432 schools have not reported. (ELN/ SKA / HRS /JOL/ DIA / ERK/AIK/AIN )

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.