While some epidemiologists believe that schools can reopen safely, teachers are cautious about the plan as vaccination drives remain sluggish and schools are struggling to provide the necessary infrastructure to implement health protocols.

The decision for immediate school reopening was issued last Tuesday through a joint decree signed by the education minister, health minister, home minister and religious affairs minister, who oversees madrassas and Islamic boarding schools (Pesantren).

Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim said resuming in-person classes as soon as possible was necessary as prolonged school closure could potentially cause lasting harm to a generation of children, including future loss of earnings and exacerbating education and economic disparities.

"A year of school closure is already too long. [...] We need to take immediate action to prevent permanent [negative] impacts on students that may lead to a generation that's left behind," he said.

He noted that since schools moved online in March last year due to the pandemic, Indonesia has seen a "worrying" increase of children dropping out of schools and a surge in subject failures, domestic abuse and mental health problems among students. The trend is more prevalent among lower-income families and those living in remote regions who are struggling to have access to online learning due to the digital divide.

Read also: Teachers go extra mile to teach students as schools remain closed