Kemendikbudristek: Out Of 46,580 Education Units, Only 1,296 COVID-19 Clusters Appeared, Relatively Small

Illustration-Students at SMP Negeri 4 Yogyakarta take part in the mid-semester assessment conducted (ANTARA/HO)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) said cases of COVID-19 transmission in education units or schools were relatively small.

Director General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Secondary Education (Directorate General of Pauddikdasdikmen) Kemendikbudristek Jumeri said schools that had started implementing PTM were limited to 46,580 education units.

"Meanwhile, the number of reports from education units related to COVID-19 transmission in education units is relatively small, namely 2.8 percent or 1,296," he explained in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, September 23.

He requested that protocols related to school cluster risk be strictly implemented. If there is a case in the school, the school will be closed again.

"It is also clearly and strictly regulated in the 4 Ministerial Decree, including the local government closing schools, stopping limited PTM, conducting testing, tracing, and treatment if there are findings of positive cases of COVID-19," said Jumeri.

The government also understands that the conditions of each school and region in Indonesia are very diverse so it is impossible to generalize. The school will continue to serve students according to their ability to be able to follow the appropriate learning model, both limited PTM and PJJ.

"Children can continue to study from home if their parents are not sure and have not given permission to participate in limited PTM. I emphasize that there is no process of punishment and discrimination for children who study from home," he said.

Jumeri hopes that effective collaboration between teachers, principals, school committees, and school supervisors, as well as parents is expected to be successful in the implementation of limited PTM.