Review Urged over Early School Starting Time Policy

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Morning ceremony at SMAN 1 Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara on Wednesday (1/3/2023). Only 19 out of 496 students showed up on time. The NTT Provincial Government enforces study hours starting at 05.30.

KUPANG, KOMPAS — The Indonesian Ombudsman has asked the government to intervene in the polemics over the enforcement of the school starting time at 5.30 a.m. in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Despite drawing protests from various communities, the provincial government had insisted on implementing the policy.

"The central government’s intervention is awaited. The Ombudsman asks that this policy be stopped temporarily," Indonesian Ombudsman’s member Robert Na Endi Jaweng said when contacted on Thursday (2/3/2023).

The Home Affairs Ministry as the patron of regional administrative heads and the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry as the national education regulator have also been urged to respond seriously and immediately. The central government is expected to act to suspend the policy.

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According to Robert, not only is class activity starting at 5.30 a.m. unfriendly for students, their parents’ works and routine activities are being disrupted. Many people have called for an immediate end to the policy.

"We have asked ORI NTT [provincial ombudsman] to monitor the trial [planned for] this month. The NTT provincial government’s policy is not appropriate after all because there has been no [pre-policy] academic study nor outreach to the public. In addition, the education policy about school starting at 5.30 a.m. interferes with other sectors, such as those in security, health and transportation," Indraza Marzuki Rais, another member of the Indonesian Ombudsman, said.

We have asked ORI NTT [provincial ombudsman] to monitor the trial [planned for] this month.

As reported, the policy has been on trial since Monday (27/2), provisionally implemented in five public senior high schools and five state vocational schools in province’s capital city Kupang, only for students in 12^th grade.

The provincial education office has executed the policy under Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat’s instructions, but reportedly without any due study. The governor argues that starting class early can shape up students' learning ethics. He also believes it can help lift up students’ academic performance, thus improving their chances to be accepted at top universities.

Despite wide protests, the provincial administration, as confirmed by education and culture office head Linus Lusi on Tuesday (28/2), has insisted on the policy. The administration is also ignoring calls for renouncement from Commission V members of the NTT Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), which oversees the people’s welfare.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Teachers at the morning ceremony at SMAN 1 Kota Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara on Wednesday (1/3/2023). Not many teachers were present on time.

Coordination

The Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry, as reported by acting public relations and cooperation bureau head Anang Ristanto, was coordinating intensively with the provincial government and education office to discuss the issue.

He said local governments would need to pre-empt the potential effects and address the feedback from stakeholders and the public, including parents, when formulating an education policy that was seen to bring broad impacts.

"In implementing the Merdeka Belajar [Freedom to Learn] policy, we are committed to protecting students' rights to study in a safe and enjoyable learning school [environment]," he said.

The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Ministry and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) have also voiced calls for a review, with their concerns about the safety aspect for children. They say the early school start policy needs prudent studies, incorporating science-based views with inputs from stakeholders, including students, in the hope that the principle of catering best interests of the child is fulfilled.

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"Several aspects must be considered," Rini Handayani, acting deputy for child rights fulfillment at the PPPA Ministry, said, adding that it was necessary to consider child protection in terms of security and transportation to school.

KPAI member Ari Adi Leksono said that the basis of the policy was that it paid attention to the interests of children and how it could ensure their participation while allowing them ample time with their parents between learning activities.

The controversies over the policy seem to drag on with voices of rejection coming from students, teachers, parents, education observers, legislators and religious leaders.

Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) chairman of NTT office Simon Petrus Manu said an early school start program sought to improve the quality of education would be more suitable for boarding schools.

Noting the national education system, in which schools in Indonesia normally start the teaching and learning programs at 7 a.m., NTT Education Council chairman Simon Riwu Kaho said: "NTT must follow the education standards in the national curriculum.”

This article was translated by Musthofid.