The Teacher Federation Asked The Government To Postpone The Opening Of Schools In Pilkada Regions

Illustration (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Federation of Indonesian Teachers' Unions (FSGI) predicts that the holding of the 2020 Pilkada Simultaneously which took place yesterday has the potential to increase the number of COVID-19 cases.

For this concern, the Secretary General of FSGI, Heru Purnomo, asked the government to postpone the opening of schools planned for January 2021 in regions that hold the 2020 Pilkada.

"The postponement of opening face-to-face schools in January 2021 must be a consideration for the central government and regional governments, especially in areas that hold simultaneous regional elections," Heru said in his statement, Thursday, December 10.

Based on the results of FSGI monitoring in a number of regions holding the 2020 Pilkada, it shows the facts that during the process there has been a large mobilization of masses, such as campaigns with parades and the majority of participants did not wear masks.

"FSGI predicts that post-election there will also be a celebration of the victory of the candidate pairs who get the most votes. This has the potential to create a very high crowd and the possibility of many health protocols being ignored," he said.

Heru continued, regions holding simultaneous regional elections will also have the potential for additional cases. This is because after the Pilkada there will be a Christmas and New Year 2021 holiday.

"Joint holidays are always filled with trips to tourist destinations in various regions, tourist visits have increased sharply, there are crowds of people at tourist sites and of course children will be invited to vacation from their father and mother," he said.

FSGI also has data on hundreds of students who have been infected with COVIID-19 in its monitoring areas. The results of FSGI monitoring in a number of regions, there were 233 students and 46 teachers from 12 districts / cities with the following details:

1. SMPN 3 Jekulo, Kudus (Central Java) 4 of her teachers who were exposed to COVID-19 have died

2. The principal of SDN 08 Sungai Baremas, West Pasaman Regency (West Sumatra) is positive for COVID-19 after opening a face-to-face school

3. A teacher at SMAN 1 Polokarto, Sukoharjo (Central Java), 11 teachers are infected with 1 teacher from a family cluster during interactions at school

4. 30 West Jakarta MAN 2 teachers tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a trip to Jogjakarta, contracted 1 teacher who showed symptoms of COVID-19 and had an interaction at a madrasa

5. Private junior high school in Jepara, 15 students positive for COVID-19

6. SMAN 1 Kota Blitar (East Java), 2 students are positive and have attended face-to-face learning at school

7. Of the 17 junior high schools in the city of Surabaya where 3,627 students took the swab test, 36 students tested positive for COVID-19

8. SDN Sampang, 1 student tested positive for COVID-19 from his grandfather who had just returned from Bali

9. SMKN in the city of Semarang held a swab test because there was 1 positive teacher, the results were 179 positive students, the Governor of Central Java then ordered the closure of all face-to-face trial schools in his area