Gadjah Mada University (UGM) epidemiologist Bayu Satria Wiratama said the decision to reopen should not be based only on COVID-19 risk zoning but also take into account a school’s preparedness and infrastructure. 

“Zoning is insufficiently accurate. Other parameters, such as the positivity rate, have to be factored in,” Bayu said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post recently.

He added that the government’s plan to allow schools to resume face-to-face classroom activities was not the best decision for the time being, given the rising trend of new daily COVID-19 cases in the country.

He suggested that the government consider the epidemic conditions of each region as part of the effort to evaluate schools’ readiness for in-classroom activities. 

“For regions with low [COVID-19] cases, [a reopening of schools] may be considered,” he said.

He added that classroom activities at school required a number of additional measures, such as daily monitoring of students’, teachers’ and parents’ health; shorter school hours; new sitting arrangements in classrooms and teachers’ rooms; and good ventilation.

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