No Longer Like Anies' Hope, JakWIFI's Use Is More Entertainment Than Learning

Photo by Yulia Agnis on Unsplash

Head of the DKI Jakarta Communications and Information Agency, Raides Aryanto, admitted that currently the quantity of JakWIFI's use for learning activities is getting less and less.

Meanwhile, when it was just launched in August 2020, former DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswean hoped that this free internet network for residents could support the needs of students to study online.

Raides revealed that the use of JakWIFI last year, when Jakarta implemented strict restrictions on community activities (PPKM), the portion of JakWIFI's use to study above 50 percent.

"This is based on the results of our survey. In December 2021, around 56 percent used jakWIFI for PJJ (distance learning). Then another survey was carried out in March 2022, 60.9 percent was still for PJJ," said Raides to reporters, Wednesday, January 4.

Meanwhile, when PPKM in Jakarta continued to have level 1 status for months, JakWIFI's use to learn decreased. JakWIFI is actually more used by residents to seek entertainment.

"During the transition from pandemic to endemic last year, in November there was a 27.5 percent decline. So the remaining 50.7 percent is used by the public for entertainment, and looking for information," he said.

This condition, said Raides, is one of the considerations for the DKI Provincial Government and the DKI DPRD to reduce JakWIFI's budget allocation. Reduction of the 2023 budget ceiling is required because the budget has a deficit.

Raides explained, due to the reduction in the budget, the number of JakWIFI points operating was reduced.

"JakWIFI tidak dihilangkan. Namun, ada pengurangan anggaran, sehingga titik quantitas titik JakWIFI berkurang. Misalnya, di tiap RW ada tiga titik, kita tetap pertahankan akses poin internet minimal satu titik," kata Raides kepada wartawan, Selasa, 3 Januari.

Raides explained, during the discussion of the 2023 APBD draft, the DKI Provincial Government proposed a JakWIFI budget of IDR 174 billion for the operation of 3,500 points.

However, due to the budget deficit, the DKI Provincial Government and the DKI DPRD agreed to reduce JakWIFI's budget allocation to only Rp56 billion for operations of 1,263 points.

"From our budget proposal, 3,500 points, according to last year, the budget finalization finally determined so that the figure decreased. Finally, 1,263 points," said Raides.

Raides said that his party plans to re-incorporate JakWIFI's budget which was previously cut in the discussion on the 2023 APBD amendments in the middle of the year. However, this needs to consider the level of community need for the use of JakWIFI, especially for school student learning.

"Later in the middle of this year we will evaluate again, look again at the level of community use, it's high or not. If it's high, we will convey it in the revised APBD, but for 12 months people's internet access will still be in each RW," he explained.