TheJakartaPost
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The dilemma of mandating face-to-face learning now
We must tackle the barriers to sucessful remote learning even as we roll out full face-to-face learning, keeping in mind that we are still in the middle of a pandemic.
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Full capacity: Students attend full face-to-face learning under health protocols at SD 15 Pagi state elementary school in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, on Jan. 19. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
T
he reintroduction of full face-to-face learning (PTM) in Indonesian schools this semester has received mixed responses, with many doubting schools’ capacity to ensure a safe environment amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This policy comes with the caveat that it is only applicable to schools in areas under levels 1 and 2 of the public activity restrictions (PPKM) and for a maximum of six hours per day at 100 percent student attendance. It also requires that at least 80 percent of teachers are fully vaccinated.
Schools must also continue to adhere strictly to the “5M” health protocols of washing hands with soap, wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds and reducing mobility, as mandated by the Health Ministry.
If these conditions are not met, schools are only permitted 50 percent student attendance.
Education is the sector that has been hardest hit by the pandemic. The ensuing problems included inconsistent remote learning experiences, uneven internet connectivity, low access to technologies and low digital competency. The biggest and most observable impact has been learning loss.
Parents and teachers have both raised concerns over the reintroduction of full PTM, arguing that the safety of students and teaching staff should be prioritized. The mounting calls to rescind the new policy has coincided with the rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as reports that the Omicron variant is highly contagious.
So, what is the right course for education to take?
