Central Java Ensures 100 Percent PTM Continues Even Though COVID-19 Cases Appear In Schools

Surakarta Citizens High School. PTM at Warga SMA was temporarily suspended following the emergence of the COVID-19 cluster. ANTARA/Aris Wasita

SOLO - The Central Java Provincial Government has ensured that 100 percent face-to-face learning (PTM) in schools continues despite the emergence of a COVID-19 cluster in one of the schools in Solo City.

Head of the Regional VII Education Office Branch of Central Java Province, Suratno, said that the standard operating procedures for implementing PTM were 100 percent that had been made.

"When something happens, there must be an SOP. The PTM is 100 percent still running, but if there is a special incident, we will consider the existing SOP," he said, quoted by Antara, Thursday, January 27.

Mentioned about the emergence of clusters of spread of COVID-19 at the Surakarta Citizens High School, his party will soon hold a PTM evaluation meeting.

At the meeting, his party will invite all branch offices and all principals of SMK, SMA, SMP, SD, SLB public and private to evaluate PTM.

"We have taken steps in order to secure and save the health of all school residents," he said.

Suratno also asked school principals to be more selective in organizing events involving teachers and students to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

"Actually, schools have the authority to regulate the types of activities in schools. For sports activities, we still limit culinary extras, but they are only small groups," he said.

Previously, as many as 12 teachers and students at one of the schools in Solo, namely SMA Warga were confirmed positive for COVID-19 after traveling from outside the city, to be precise in Boyolali Regency.

The head of the Surakarta City Resident High School, Purwoto, said that until now, contact tracing efforts are still being carried out. Finally, a swab test was conducted on 255 teachers, education staff, and students of the school.

"The results are still waiting," he said.