A Total Of 546 Indonesian Students In China Delayed Graduation Due To The COVID-19 Pandemic

Education, Culture, Research and Technology Attaché of the Embassy of Beijing Yaya Sutarya with Indonesian students in China, May 5, 2021. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - A total of 546 students from Indonesia from undergraduate to postgraduate levels at a number of universities in China were delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic." They were constrained by the technicality of distance learning during the pandemic," said the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing, Yaya Sutarya, reported by Antara, Wednesday, May 12.Usually in one year China approves 1,400 to 1,800 Indonesian students from various levels of education. But since the pandemic hit, the graduation rate has only been 60 percent." Some students who study online experience some obstacles, such as laboratories, practicum, koas (co-assistant for final-level medical students) and others," said Yaya. To solve the problem, there is no other way but to urge the Chinese government to allow students from Indonesia to re-enter." Not only Indonesia, several other countries also conveyed the same to the Chinese authorities. Some Chinese students are also urging them to continue their studies in Indonesia," he added. He mentioned that as many as 44 Chinese students who received Dharmasiswa scholarship programs in the two periods 2019 and 2020 also could not be sent to Indonesia because of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, out of 15,760 Indonesian students in China there are 1,352 people who still remain on their respective campuses in 27 cities in mainland China since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, while others have been in Indonesia to undergo long-distance lectures. In recent times, China has opened access for foreigners in addition to travel and learning purposes. One of the requirements to obtain a Chinese visa, then the applicant must present a certificate of COVID-19 vaccine made in China.Although until now there has been no policy related to China visa policy for students, Atdikbudristek has sent a letter to several ministers in Indonesia, namely the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Education, Minister of Trade, and The Information Committee of COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery.The letter contains a proposal to agencies in Indonesia to immediately provide vaccinations to Indonesian students as a form of preparation if at any time China reopens access to foreign students. Earlier in the China-Indonesia bilateral meeting in Fujian Province on April 1-3, 2021, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi expressed his hope to Foreign Minister Wang Yi to facilitate the return of Indonesian students to China.