Discipline Crucial in Applying Health Protocols

Kompas/Priyombodo

First graders pray after class in a limited face-to-face learning at SD Negeri Jurang Mangu Barat 01, Pondok Aren, Tangerang. South, Banten, Tuesday (28/9/2021). Learning at the school is carried out entirely through face-to-face meetings on a rotating basis without being combined with online distance learning (PJJ) due to various limitations such as internet problems and student devices.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Ensuring the safety of holding learning activities in person must be a shared commitment of all parties involved. All standard operating procedures and the rules of limited in-person learning are clear, so schools simply need to follow them. And if there are any cases of Covid-19, the schools will be closed temporarily.

To increase control over limited face-to-face learning (PTM), a number of steps must be taken. The Health Ministry (Kemenkes) and the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry (Kemendikbudristek) are regularly inspecting the system to ensure that students are safe from Covid-19 transmission. Evidence-based monitoring can gauge the risk of Covid-19.

"The Kemendikbudristek and Kemenkes are making sure that the health protocols are implemented. (This) can be measured statistically. What is even scarier is the permanent impacts of remote learning (PJJ) if it is forced. Especially for early childhood and elementary school students, who are not yet allowed to be vaccinated, the need for PTM is even higher," said Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Nadiem Anwar Makarim at the #BangkitBareng talk show held by Republika.co.id on Tuesday (28/9/2021).

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Allowing limited in-person learning is not just an effort to overcome learning loss. The policy to reopen schools is also intended to help relieve students of psychological pressures, because they often feel lonely or stressed while learning online at home with their parents, which has been going on for a prolonged period of time.

Nadiem said a study conducted by the World Bank and Kemendikbudristek showed that students could experience potential learning loss of between 0.8 and 1.2 years of schooling due to the school closure. The Covid-19 pandemic had also worsened the inequality that existed before the pandemic, especially for households of low socioeconomic status and areas that did not have internet access, he added.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim spoke with the Principal of SD Muhammadiyah Jogokariyan, Yogyakarta City, Fika Widiana Kuspratiwi, while reviewing the face-to-face learning simulation at the school, Tuesday (14/9/2021).

Schools were initially to reopen in January but this was halted when Indonesia was hit by a second wave of Covid-19. Before this, about 30 percent of schools had been allowed to reopen for limited in-person learning. At present, in-person learning is being allowed in 40 percent of those areas where the public activity restrictions (PPKM) has dropped from level 4 to 3.

Scholastic backwardness

To find out the extent to which students are slipping behind, the government has conducted a National Assessment (AN) of students across elementary, junior and senior high school/vocational schools alike. The assessment is aimed at numeracy, literacy, and Pancasila character.

The assessment maps learning outcomes per school for the first time. The AN is the basis for knowing in detail which schools are lagging behind the most and need special attention.

Retno Listyarti of the National Commission for Child Protection said schools needed to map the materials for each school subject, as online and in-person learning were being conducted in tandem. Easy and moderate learning materials should be given during online learning with the help of modules. Meanwhile, difficult materials could be delivered during in-person learning, when there is a direct interaction and dialogue between teachers and students. This was also part of the effort to help children understand difficult and very difficult materials to reduce the stress on students.

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Novianti (41), the mother of a student who lives in Malang, East Java, was still confused, especially as the number of Covid-19 cases began to rise again after the PPKM was eased. She was confused because if she did not allow her child to join in-person learning, her child would be left behind among other students.

"If the others join in-person learning activities while my child does not, psychologically, [my] child will be disturbed," said Novianti.

A 10th grader in Jakarta, Alif Syahdan (16), said that studying at school was much more fun than at home. At school, he could interact directly with his friends and could more easily understand the subjects explained by the teachers. (ELN/SKA/HRS/DIA/ERK/AIN/JOL)

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.