Schools Implement 100 Percent PTM, KPAI Asks Children's COVID-19 Vaccine To Be Accelerated

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) asked the government to accelerate the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6-11 years and adolescents aged 12-17 years.

This acceleration must be carried out after the government decided to oblige schools starting at the elementary level to conduct 100 percent face-to-face learning (PTM) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When the government decides to hold 100 percent PTM, the government must accelerate and distribute vaccinations for children aged 12-17 years and vaccinate children aged 6-11 years," said KPAI Commissioner Retno Listyarti in a written statement, Sunday, January 2.

When PTM is carried out, continued Retno, the vaccination rate must be at least 70 percent of the population in schools. The goal is that group immunity can be formed.

"If only teachers are vaccinated, then community immunity has not been established because the number of teachers is only about 10 percent of the total number of students," he said.

In addition, KPAI asked the government to ensure that the availability of vaccine types for children in Indonesia is distributed evenly. This request, said Retno, arose because the administration of vaccination was dominated in Java.

"The central government must ensure that the provision of vaccines for children is evenly distributed throughout Indonesia," he said.

"A brief KPAI survey last August found that vaccination for children was dominated by Java and that it only targeted children in urban areas," added Retno.

In addition, the government is also encouraged to periodically and randomly conduct testing, tracing, and treatment if 100 percent PTM starts to be held this year.

"Strengthening 3T is very important in an effort to protect school residents, considering that Omicron has entered Indonesia," he explained.

As previously reported, the government issued a Joint Decree (SKB) of 4 Ministers Number 05/KB/2021, Number 1347 of 2021, Number HK.01.08/MENKES/6678/2021, and Number 443-5847 of 2021 concerning Guidelines for Implementing Learning in a Pandemic Period COVID-19.

The decree was signed by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim, and Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

In this letter, there is an adjustment to the latest limited face-to-face learning (PTM) rules. One of the changes is that now schools or other educational units are allowed to apply PTM 100 percent of students.

"Education units located in special areas based on geographical conditions in accordance with the Decree of the Minister of Education and Technology Number 160/P/2021 can carry out face-to-face learning in full with 100 percent student capacity," wrote the 4 ministerial decree, quoted on Friday, December 24.

There are special requirements that schools must meet to apply 100 percent PTM. The requirement is that it must be in an area that applies PPKM Level 1 and 2.

Then it must meet the requirements for the achievement of the second dose of vaccination for educators and education personnel above 80 percent, as well as the achievement of the second dose of vaccination for the elderly above 50 percent at the district/city level.

If the conditions have been met, 100 percent PTM can be held every day and the maximum length of study is 6 hours of lessons per day. Then, if the conditions have not been met, PTM will still be held on a limited basis with various conditions.