Encouraging Face-to-Face Schools, Zita Anjani Worried Students at Home Often Play TikTok

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the DKI Regional House of Representatives from the PAN faction, Zita Anjani, views that DKI Jakarta is ready to open schools for face-to-face learning (PTM) in July.

"Judging from the success of the first phase of piloting (PTM trial), I think DKI is ready for a face-to-face meeting", Zita told reporters, Tuesday, June 8.

According to Zita, currently, many students are not effective in learning online. Their focus is easily distracted by social media such as TikTok and games on their cellphones.

"The online concept is very unhealthy for children, confined at home, unable to play, no real friends. There are only games, TikTok, and other social media. I'm worried that in the golden age of children, they can't learn and play. Of course, this threatens their future", said Zita.

Zita understands that although President Joko Widodo has asked for schools to be opened at 25 percent capacity in the new school year, the PTM decision remains in the hands of local governments.

However, according to Zita, many schools have been facilitated to support the implementation of health protocols for students to study face-to-face. It remains only to take other accelerated steps, such as one of the vaccines.

"If the positivity rate is currently high, 10.8 percent, then we need to work hard, work together with the Education Officer and the Health Officer, other elements as a support team", she explained.

Previously, President Joko Widodo gave new directions regarding the implementation of face-to-face learning in schools and asked that this activity be carried out with extra caution. This was conveyed by the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, after holding a limited meeting.

"Mr. President directs face-to-face education which will begin to be carried out with extreme caution," Budi said in a virtual press conference.

He said that face-to-face learning activities will be carried out on a limited basis. According to Budi, a maximum of 25 percent of students may attend school, and teaching and learning activities at school cannot be more than two days a week.

"So a week can only be two days a maximum of face-to-face", he said.

Not only that, learning activities in schools at this school should not be carried out for a long time. "A maximum of two hours a day", he said.

During the pilot school opening, DKI Jakarta Province implemented a 50 percent limit on student capacity. Responding to Jokowi's instructions, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria said he would follow suit.

"If 25 percent is the best, why not? We support the input from the President, the central government", said Riza at the City Hall of DKI.