Facing Heavy Challenges Due To The COVID-19 Pandemic, Jokowi: Work Patterns Must Be Changed

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic that has spread in 215 countries is causing complex health and economic problems at the same time. This is because no country has experience in dealing with crises like this.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that both developed and developing countries are not ready to face the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he stressed, COVID-19 is an extraordinary problem which of course must also be dealt with in an extraordinary way.

"The extraordinary challenge must be faced with an extraordinary strategy. Our mindset must change, work culture must change, our way of working must also change," he said, during the 'Scientific Oration of the 63rd Anniversary of Padjadjaran University', Friday, September 11 .

According to Jokowi, COVID-19 also forces changes in the order of everyday life. From a standard that was previously considered unnatural, now it is a necessity.

"We have to keep our distance, wear masks, wear faceshields, we work from home, even study from home, and stay in touch virtually. Previously everything was unnatural, so we must," he said.

In fact, said Jokowi, COVID-19 made normality standards change. Not only health-related normality but work culture and work methods.

"Now is the time for us to introduce a new standard of normality in our professional life," he said.

In addition, Jokowi asked lecturers to provide good facilities for students. In current conditions, the learning process must be carried out in various ways.

"A good lecturer is a lecturer who facilitates students to learn with anyone, through any media, at any time. A good university is a university that builds an independent learning ecosystem and makes use of widely open learning materials and media," said Jokowi.

According to Jokowi, universities must formulate normality standards for various policies regarding higher education priority programs, budget allocation, infrastructure, including new SOPs.

Not only that, in the field of research there must also be a new standard of normality. The benefits of research in the digital era must be felt by all people.

"How can the digitization innovation in volume IV be utilized by energy independence in various sectors, we must not get caught up in routine and change, we must continue to develop innovation and technology," he said.