As Of September 20, Banjarmasin Holds Face-to-face Learning Simultaneously

Photo Archive. Students come to school for face-to-face learning at SD Negeri Karang Mekar 5 Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Photo: Bayu Pratama S/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Banjarmasin City Education Office in South Kalimantan Province plans to re-implement face-to-face learning in early childhood education facilities, kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools simultaneously starting September 20, 2021. "Notification letter for PTM (face-to-face learning) We have arrived again since yesterday, September 17 to all schools, from PAUD to junior high school," said Head of the Banjarmasin City Education Office, Totok Agus Daryanto in Banjarmasin, as reported by Antara, Saturday, September 18. He said face-to-face learning was carried out again after COVID-19 transmission has subsided and the Banjarmasin City area is included in the Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) area.

Totok explained that the decision to start re-implementing face-to-face learning was made in reference to the recommendations of the Banjarmasin City COVID-19 Handling Task Force and the Joint Decree of the Ministers of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology; Minister of Health; Minister of Home Affairs; and the Minister of Religion. "Certainly the schools that are allowed to PTM are only in the green and yellow zones, if the area is still in the orange zone, let alone red, it is not allowed. We will see later on the data at the Health Office regarding the zoning of the spread of COVID-19 in Banjarmasin City," he said. In addition, he continued, face-to-face learning can only be carried out in schools where 80 percent of the teachers have been vaccinated against COVID-19. "Even now, some students over the age of 12 have been vaccinated against COVID-19," he added. "So the school is made to take turns in classes, it must be made a neat and orderly schedule by the school, take care that there are no crowds," he said. "If there are students, yes. If they are not healthy, we ask their parents not to allow (go to school)," he added. According to Totok, face-to-face learning will be evaluated every week. "If there are students or teachers who are exposed to COVID-19 because of this PTM, (schools) ) must stop PTM for at least three days," he said.