All Schools Will Open, Minister Of Education And Culture Asks Local Governments To Prioritize Priority Vaccinations For Teachers

DOK BETWEEN / MENDIKBUD NADIEM MAKARIM

JAKARTA - The government has decided to oblige the opening of schools and other educational units in the new academic year in July. However, the condition is that all teachers and education personnel must have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Teachers and staff are included in the target group for the second phase of vaccination for public service workers. However, this vaccination is accompanied by other public servants such as Civil Servant (ASN), the National Army (TNI), the National Police Force (Polri), State-Owned and Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMN-BUMD) employees, market merchants, athletes, transportation workers, tourism, and media workers.

To pursue the target that all teachers have received vaccinations at the opening of the schools, the Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim asked local governments to prioritize vaccine targets among education personnel.

"We encourage all regional governments that are currently vaccinating to prioritize teachers and educators as essential, very important sectors because this is the last sector in areas that are still closed", Nadiem said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, March 30.

Nadiem targets that the first dose of vaccination for teachers and education personnel at the kindergartens, elementary schools, and special schools levels will be completed no later than the end of the second week of May 2021.

Then, vaccinations for junior high schools, high schools, and vocational schools are completed no later than the end of the fourth week of May. Then, the higher education level is completed no later than the second week of June.

"This is a target that is not easy to achieve. But we as the central government want aspirational targets so that we can ensure that by July, almost all of our schools will be able to conduct limited face-to-face learning program", said Nadiem.

The government previously issued a Joint Decree (SKB) for four ministers regarding guidelines for implementing learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. In content, the government requires educational institutions to carry out face-to-face learning (PTM) in the coming July.

However, said Nadiem, this PTM obligation is applied to schools or educational units where teachers and education personnel have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Then, the school also still has to serve online distance learning (PJJ) options.

When it was opened, Nadiem reminded all education units to keep implementing strict health protocols. First, classrooms must be limited to 50 percent of the existing capacity.

"Of all the conditions, the most important thing is social distancing of at least one and a half meters, keep the distance between benches and chairs, and a maximum of 18 students per class. Usually 36 students, now 50 percent is 18 people", explained Nadiem.

In addition, every member of the school and other educational units must also continue to wear masks, wash their hands frequently with soap, and keep their distance while there.