Waiting For Nadiem Makarim's Response Regarding The Proposal To Postpone Face-to-face School In July

DOC ANTARA/Mendikbudristek Nadiem Makarim (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has asked the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Makarim to postpone the opening of schools with face-to-face learning in the new school year in July.

KPAI Commissioner for Education, Retno Listyarti admitted that her party had sent a letter of recommendation to postpone face-to-face schooling. However, currently KPAI is still waiting for a response from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

"Usually the response is with a letter reply. Then, if the recommendation is accepted, there will be a policy change, preceded by a meeting inviting the KPAI as well," Retno told VOI, Monday, June 28.

Retno thinks the government should immediately cancel the face-to-face learning plan (PTM) for the new academic year, which will start in less than a month.

Because, at this time, a spike in COVID-19 cases has hit Indonesia again. In fact, the percentage of positive results for COVID-19 in this week's national figure reached 33.3 percent, exceeding the normal threshold of 5 percent.

"This condition is not safe to open face-to-face schools, endangering the safety of children. The central government and local governments according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child must fulfill the right to life and the right to health for Indonesian children," he said.

Moreover, COVID-19 cases have soared at a time when a number of regions are still implementing PTM trials in several schools. Retno is worried that COVID-19 cases will increase when PTM is held in all schools.

"When the majority of the majority schools have not held PTM, most Indonesian children are still studying from home. However, it turns out that the number of children who are positive for COVID-19 is very high. Moreover, if PTM will be held simultaneously in July 2021, it can predict the number of COVID cases in children will rise sharply," explained Retno.

Moreover, Retno views that the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia has not been in favor of children. Because, currently cases of COVID-19 in children and the death rate is quite high.

"The case of infection in children reflects that the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia has not been in favor of children. There are conditions that are not optimal to protect children as one of the vulnerable groups to COVID-19," he said.

Looking at the data compiled by the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the proportion of positive cases of COVID-19 in children aged 0 to 18 years in Indonesia is 12.5 percent. "This means that 1 in 8 positive cases of COVID-19 are children," he said.

In fact, the trend of cases of infection in children on a global scale always ranks the lowest. In fact, the proportion of COVID-19 infections in children globally is only about 3 percent.