Students In Makassar Return To Online Learning Not Because Of COVID-19, But Bad Weather Early Warning

MAKASSAR - Makassar City Education Office, South Sulawesi again requires students to study online for three days, after an early warning issued by the Makassar Climatology and Geophysics Meteorology Agency (BMKG) Region IV Makassar regarding bad weather.

Head of the Makassar City Education Office, Muhyiddin Mustakim, said the decision was taken after observing the impact of bad weather since Sunday, February 20.

"The BMKG has issued an early warning regarding bad weather for four days and we are also observing some of the impacts, so it was decided for children to study online temporarily," he said, quoted by Antara, Monday, February 21.

He said elementary school (SD) and junior high school (SMP) students were temporarily diverted from their teaching and learning process from face-to-face learning (PTM) to online.

Muhyiddin said the most important consideration is paying attention to the health of the students, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the case of omicron which has soared drastically.

"Health is paramount. The impact of bad weather is puddles and floods, fallen trees due to strong winds and others. Daily cases of COVID-19 are also increasing," he said.

The former Head of the Makassar City Government Social Service said the number of schools, both elementary and junior high schools under the Makassar Education Department, was more than 700.

Muhyiddin admitted that although the teaching and learning process was shifted online, a number of teachers also continued to attend school and some taught subjects directly from the school.

The online learning process starts Monday to Wednesday, February 23, according to the schedule announced by BMKG Region IV Makassar.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Region IV Makassar issued an early warning regarding the weather in the South Sulawesi region for three days starting Sunday-Wednesday with moderate to heavy rainfall.

Acting Head of BMKG Region IV Makassar, Irwan Slamet, said that the results of monitoring the development of the latest atmospheric dynamics indicate an indication of the potential for increased rainfall in the South Sulawesi region.

"Based on the prospect of atmospheric dynamics, it shows the potential for increased rainfall in the South Sulawesi region," he said.

Irwan Slamet explained, the results of the latest analysis showed that there was an active MJO (Madden Julian Oscillation) in quadrant 3 and moving towards quadrants 4 and 5 (Maritime Continent).