Schools In The Yellow-Green Zone Can Be Closed Again If ..

Illustration (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said that face-to-face learning in schools in the yellow and green zones can be closed again if they become orange or the red zone.

In the risk category for COVID-19 transmission, areas with green zone status are areas that have never had a COVID-19 case or have had no new cases in 14 days.

Meanwhile, the yellow zone is an area that has a low risk, the orange zone is an area with moderate risk, and the red zone is a high risk area for the spread of COVID-19.

"If there are indications that the education unit is in an unsafe condition, or the regional risk level changes to a higher level, the regional government is obliged to close the education unit again," Wiku said in a press statement at the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, August 11.

Wiku continued, based on the agreement of four ministries, namely the Coordinating Ministry for PMK, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Religion and the Ministry of Health, there are four aspects that need to be considered in opening schools.

"What needs to be considered is the aspect of safety, readiness, approval, and simulation. This needs to be done even in the green and yellow zones," he said.

Wiku said, educational units cannot conduct face-to-face learning without the approval of the regional government or regional office, then from the school principal, proceed to the school committee, and finally it must be through the consent of the parents of students.

"If parents do not agree, then students continue to learn from home and cannot be forced to study at school," he said.

Then, there are rules for the capacity of students who learn in class. Face-to-face learning will be carried out in stages with the condition that 30 to 50 percent of the standard students per class.

"The COVID-19 pandemic may limit distance, but it must not limit our continuing to learn. Keep adhering to health protocols. That is the most important thing," concluded Wiku.

For information, Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim has allowed schools in the yellow and green zones to conduct face-to-face learning.

Even so, Nadiem admitted that the government did not insist that all schools in the yellow and green zones must carry out face-to-face learning. "We will revise the SKB to allow, not force face-to-face learning," said Nadiem.

All schools in the orange and red zones are still prohibited from conducting face-to-face learning. Schools in the zone continue to learn from home online.