Batam City Government Starts Limited Face-to-Face Learning

BATAM - The Batam City Government, Riau Islands, has allowed PAUD, SD/MI, SMP/MTs School to implement limited face-to-face learning (PTM) starting earlier this week.

"Education units that have received PTM recommendations from the Batam City Education Office are allowed to carry out limited face-to-face learning starting from Tuesday, September 21, 2021", said the mayor in his statement in Batam, Wednesday.

The provisions for face-to-face learning are guided by the Joint Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture, Minister of Religion, Minister of Health and Minister of Home Affairs Number 03/KB/2021, Number 384 of 2021. Number HK.01.08 MENKES/4242/2021, Number 440-717 of 2021 .

Educational units that wish to carry out limited face-to-face learning must fulfill six checklists, namely the availability of sanitation and hygiene facilities such as clean and proper toilets, facilities for washing hands with soap in running water or hand sanitizer and disinfectants.

Then be able to access health care facilities, readiness to apply mandatory masks, have a body temperature measuring device or thermogun. Then, have a mapping of education unit residents including those who have comorbidities, do not have access to safe transportation.

"As well as getting the approval of the school committee and representatives of parents", said the Mayor.

He reminded the education unit to immediately submit an application to the Batam City Education Office to be verified first by the team.

If the education unit has not received a face-to-face learning permit, it will continue to carry out learning activities from home online or offline through the e-learning platform.

The application of face-to-face learning requires the approval of the regional head or the Ministry of Religion, as well as obtaining approval from the principal, school committee and parents of students by signing a statement letter.

The Mayor emphasized that the implementation of face-to-face learning must follow the maximum rules of students in one study group. For PAUD/TK/RA (kindergarten), the maximum is five students, for SD/MI and SMP (Elementary and Middle School) the maximum is 18 students.

"Education units must schedule learning activities to avoid crowds", he said.

If there are residents of the education unit who are exposed to COVID-19, the school will be temporarily closed and continued with distance learning.

The implementation of face-to-face learning can be evaluated at any time, and can be returned to the online/offline learning system at any time following the development of regulations issued by the government with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.