The COVID-19 Pandemic Hits, Jokowi: If You Use The Old Method, Education Will Not Work

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world of education. He even said, if the world of education still used the old methods during this pandemic, the education sector would not work.

"If the old methods are used, yes, education cannot work in this pandemic era, it will not work. It needs new, digital and hybrid methods," Jokowi said in the 2021 National Education Day Podcast with the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Mendikbud-Ristek) Nadiem Makarim broadcast on YouTube, the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, May 2.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta also emphasized that the current world of education must be adaptive, creative, and continue to innovate. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic did not only occur in Indonesia but was also felt in 215 other countries.

"We use this pandemic condition for evaluation, to totally correct our world of education. Pandemic should not be a barrier to progress," he said.

"And I really hope that the aspiration to achieve superior human resources does not stop so that quality education for all Indonesian people can truly be felt by all people from Sabang to Merauke from Miangas to Rote Island," Jokowi added.

Responding to this statement, Nadiem said, before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, it was felt that the world of education in the country had to change.

"There were many things that previously our intuition felt the need for change in the world of education. However, because of the pandemic it became much clearer," said Nadiem.

He mentioned several aspects that have now become clearer, namely the digital divide, unequal internet access, unequal access to quality teachers, budgeting that may not prioritize disadvantaged, outermost, and frontier (3T) areas.

"Kemendikbud immediately carried out these improvements with various breakthroughs of Merdeka Learning," concluded Nadiem.