Cianjur Regent Finds Grade 4 Elementary School Students Can't Read, Education Quality Declines During The Pandemic

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CIANJUR - The Regent of Cianjur, West Java, Herman Suherman, said that there was a decline in the quality of education during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when it was found that 4th grade elementary school students were unable to read. The relevant agencies were ordered to take quick steps.

"The condition of students who still cannot read shows a decline in the quality of education, so the Education Office is assigned to register students who cannot read and provide special 'treatment'," he said in Cianjur, quoted by Antara, Monday, September 13.

During the pandemic, said Herman, the decline in the quality of education occurred not only in Cianjur, but in almost all of Indonesia, so that this will be the focus of the government's attention, assisted by parents, to boost the quality of education.

This, according to him, occurs because students study too much online so that the interaction between students and teachers is not optimal, especially "online" learning only lasts for a few hours.

"Children study online for too long, plus there are facilities constraints. Children also don't have smartphones or internet quotas because their families can't afford it. Like the children I met, 4th grade students but can't read yet," said Regent Herman.

This condition, he said, was added by the very minimal role of parents in guiding children during the online learning process which was also a factor in reducing children's grasping power, so various efforts were made to improve it again.

"During the inspection, I found that the 4th grade elementary school students in Cianjur could not read yet. This is because the teaching and learning process is not optimal, because online learning takes too long, we hope that the reopening of face-to-face learning can improve the quality of education again," said Herman.