COVID-19 Cases Continue To Appear In Hundreds Of DKI Schools, When Will The Government Dare To Stop PTM Again?

Distance Learning Illustration (Photo by Compare Fiber on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Face-to-face learning is important. But keeping students and teachers safe from COVID-19 cannot be taken lightly. Like it or not, the 100 percent face-to-face learning (PTM) policy carried out in Jakarta has made the number of cases continue to grow.

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is well aware of this situation. He agreed that the policy of students being able to go to school in the classroom again should be stopped first.

The problem is, this is DKI Jakarta. At least it's still the capital city. So Anies' willingness to change the PTM rules 100 percent and replace it with distance learning (PJJ) cannot be as easy as other cities such as Depok, Bekasi to Banten.

The central government has determined that PTM 100 is still applied to regions that apply during the Level 2 Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) period, such as Jakarta now. And face-to-face learning is regulated through an SKB of 4 ministers.

Thus, during PPKM, all decisions are in the hands of the central government. Meanwhile, during the last PSBB, Anies could immediately make rules through a governor's regulation (pergub).

"It's different from when we used the PSBB regime. At the time of PSBB, decisions about face-to-face learning were regulated through the governor's authority. Now, this is regulated through a decision from the Central Government," he said.

The emergence of COVID-19 cases in schools

The Head of the Jakarta Education Office, Nahdiana, said that there were 190 schools in Jakarta that were recorded to have COVID-19 cases while holding face-to-face learning (PTM) with 100 percent capacity. The findings of COVID-19 cases in 190 schools are data owned by the DKI Health Office from active case finding (ACF).

"Friends of the Health Service experienced the additions to 190 (schools)," said Nahdiana.

And unfortunately, he still needs to match the data with the Health Service. Because, based on data held by the Education Office, the findings of new COVID-19 cases were in 99 schools.

The 99 schools recorded by the DKI Disdik as having cases of COVID-19 have been temporarily closed. Some have reopened.

Meanwhile, the total findings of COVID-19 cases in students, teachers, and education staff during PTM were 100 percent as many as 222 cases.

"The number of positives is 222 and the positivity rate at the school is 0.7 percent. So it's still below 5 percent," he explained.

Government Response

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment through Spokesperson Luhut Panjaitan, Jodi Mahardi explained that Anies' intention must first be discussed with the four ministries that drafted the 4 ministerial decree regarding PTM.

"It is still being discussed with the 4 ministries and institutions that make the PTM SKB. The options are being considered," said Jodi in a short message to VOI, Wednesday, February 2.

It is known, Anies finally plans to stop PTM 100 percent. This plan, said Anies, had been submitted to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan as the PPKM Coordinator for Java and Bali.

"This afternoon I communicated with Mr. Luhut as the head of the Java-Bali COVID-19 Task Force to submit a proposal for Jakarta, PTM or face-to-face learning to be abolished for the next one month," Anies said when met in the East Jakarta area.

Anies admitted that he could not simply change the rules of PTM 100 percent and replace it with distance learning (PJJ).