Online Schools Without Internet: A Struggle In A Remote Hamlet Of Central Sulawesi

Nolin and Adel (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Nolin and Adel are in trouble. The pandemic changed the habits of both of them getting teaching in schools. Not like kids in big cities, perhaps. Nolin and Adel's psychic atmosphere is more worried and confused. They are not ready for online school.

Nolin and Adel are students of a junior high school in Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi. Where they live, in Tongoa Village, Dongi-Dongi Hamlet, the internet has not arrived.

To access the internet, the brothers had to go to a neighboring village, the nearest one was five kilometers from where they lived. "There is no internet access here," said Nolin, his older brother, quoted by Antara, Friday, July 24.

Not only about the internet. Nolin and Adel also don't have any devices as a basic tool for online learning. One smartphone device they have is the result of borrowing from a neighbor. The smartphone is used interchangeably during online learning.

"I am in ninth grade, my younger sibling is in eighth grade. So if you want to learn online, you use your cellphone instead. You have to go to the next village with a tower if you want to study," said Nolin.

Economic limitations are an obstacle for Nolin and Adel's parents to meet the child's emergency needs. By profession, two parents Nolin and Adel have irregular income.

The online learning system is really difficult for this family. To accommodate Adel and Nolin's educational needs, this family has spent Rp. 500 thousand for internet data credit. "There are already five hundred thousand, maybe to top up. To join the study," Nolin.

Nolin and Adel (Source: Antara)

Indonesia prepares for online school

The policy makers in Sigi, including the teachers at SMPN 16 Sigi, are aware of this difficulty. Obviously, Nolin and Adel are not alone. Other students in the area experienced a similar problem. Internet access and poverty are the main factors in constraining this emergency education order.

In the morning of Wednesday, July 22, a number of teachers from SMPN 16 Sigi visited Nolin and Adel's residence. The teachers give modules containing learning material and questions to them. Bungaria, Deputy Head of SMPN 16 Sigi, said the visit was limited. Its effectiveness is seriously questioned. However, online learning is more than all nonsense for untouched areas of the internet.

"A system like this is not very effective. For example, just now someone asked, 'Mother, how do you answer this question.' Because we are also not allowed to meet face to face for a long time with students, "said Bungaria.

Apart from limiting the time for visits, schools also limit the frequency of visits. According to Bungaria, teachers at SMPN 16 Sigi would only visit the students' homes three times a week. "We also understand. That's why the questions given are not that difficult. And the answers are already in the module," said Bungaria.

Also for teachers, visits to students' homes are not without obstacles. Geographical conditions are a challenge. `` If you go to Dongi-Dongi, it's only a long distance. There is also our student's house not too far from the school, but the terrain is extreme because the road is damaged, "he said.

The local education office stated that as long as the emergency system was in place, schools were allowed to use the school operational assistance (BOS) funds to finance the operations of teachers. Although the nominal is not that big.

"They are also allowed to use BOS funds as teacher operations. The nominal depends on the distance. If I'm not mistaken, they said Rp12,000 earlier, "said the Head of the Basic Education Disdikbud, Sigi Regency, Andi Arno.

The education office admitted that they could not do much regarding the obstacles experienced by a number of students. Budget limitations are an obstacle and extra work must be done. The current effective steps taken by the Sigi Regency Disdikbud are only to assist and provide support to all teaching staff.

"Currently there are only two learning systems, namely offline or offline and online. In Sigi Regency we choose offline because not all parents of students or students have cellphones. In fact, most of the areas here still have a mobile phone. Internet network difficulties, "Andi Arno.

In the conditions experienced by Nolin, Adel, and other school students and their parents and teachers around the siblings, Aristotle's quote feels real. We remember how the philosopher argued that "education has bitter roots, but sweet fruit." Hopefully.