Schools In Medan Caught Face-to-face Learning, COVID-19 Task Force Asks Students To Be Sent Home

Schools in Medan hold face-to-face learning and are raided by the Medan COVID-19 Task Force (IST)

MEDAN - The joint team of the COVID-19 Task Force raided high schools (SMA) and universities on Colonel Yos Sudarso Street, West Medan District. Schools are reported to be conducting face-to-face learning.

When at the location, officers found class X students on the second floor of the school studying face-to-face. The difference is, they don't wear school uniforms.

The teacher or homeroom teacher is also seen in the school. The COVID-19 Task Force immediately called the school foundation and immediately gave a warning and asked the foundation to dissolve the face-to-face learning.

The head of the COVID-19 Task Force for the West Medan District, Arif F Lubis, said the raid was carried out because there was information from the public who reported face-to-face learning activities at the school.

"We received reports from the public that there is a face-to-face school activity at Dharmawangsa school. We then coordinated with the city task force, the PP Satpol to come together to conduct raids at the location", said Arif, Thursday, August 26.

The COVID-19 Task Force explained that the Medan City Government has not allowed face-to-face schools. The task force also asked the school to disband the face-to-face learning that was taking place.

"So earlier, we asked the Chancellor to disperse students who were studying face-to-face and he said he would comply with the circular and we will monitor it again for follow-up", said Arif.

Arif, who is also the sub-district head of West Medan, also admitted that there are still schools that are trying to do face-to-face learning in the middle of implementing Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) Level IV in Medan City.

Meanwhile, the representative of the school foundation, Zamakhsyari admitted that his party only opened face-to-face learning to class X high school students.

"This face-to-face meeting has only been a few weeks after the emergency PPKM, which means it's only been a few days in terms of new students, of course, they want to know the school environment. Only new students enter, and even then the capacity is only 30 percent of the total number of classes", said Zamakhsyari.

The man who is also the Chancellor of Dharmawangsa University said that his party would follow the advice of the COVID-19 Task Force. He emphasized that his party fully supports the government's efforts to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

"On the one hand, of course we are very supportive if we really want to finish this pandemic quickly. But on the other hand, we need to see that conditions like this are also very detrimental to the world of education", he said.