Case Soaring, Malang City Government Implements Online Learning

Archive photos. Mayor of Malang Sutiaji. (ANTARA/HO-Malang City Government Public Relations)

MALANG - The Malang City Government will re-enact online learning in an effort to break the chain of the spread of the corona virus in the region.

Malang Mayor Sutiaji in Malang City, East Java, said that the plan to re-implement online learning began on February 14, 2022 due to a surge in positive confirmed cases of COVID-19.

"Monday, February 14, I'll ask everyone online, I haven't called the Ministry of Religion yet, because I begged for tsanawiyah as well (online)," said Sutiaji as quoted by Antara, Thursday, February 10.

Sutiaji explained that the decision to implement online learning would be made at the level of Early Childhood Education (PAUD), Elementary School (SD) and Junior High School (SMP).

The decision, he continued, was in an effort to break the chain of the spread of the corona virus in the Malang City area, especially in the educational environment. A number of schools in Malang City have reported cases of the spread of the corona virus.

"The consideration is that we want to break the chain first, let's cool it down first," said Sutiaji.

He added that based on information received from epidemiologists, the peak of the spread of COVID-19 is estimated to occur in February 2022. Therefore, the Malang City Government does not want to take risks and decides to implement online learning.

"The epidemiologist's predictions are that the peaks will be in February. It is hoped that March will return," he said.

However, he continued, the Malang City Government has not yet decided how long the implementation of online learning for the education unit will take. This is because the addition of positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 is currently still fluctuating.

"I don't know (how long). Currently, the fluctuation is high, for example yesterday it was up to 400 cases (additions)," he said.

In the Malang City area, COVID-19 cases have continued to increase in recent times. It was recorded that until February 9, 2022, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Malang City area reached 1,328 cases.

Based on data from the East Java Provincial Government, in the Malang City area there were 17,848 positive confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of the total confirmed cases, 15,385 people were reported to have recovered, 1,135 people were declared dead.