PRESS RELEASE

Postpone face-to-face learning until the positivity rate is below 5 percent

August 30, 2021 The Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, has launched face-to-face learning in areas that implement PPKM Levels 1 to 3. However, face-to-face learning has the potential to cause problems because it is carried out in conditions where transmission is not yet completely under control and vaccination achievements are still relatively low.

Based on a study conducted with the University of Indonesia's Social Intervention and Crisis Laboratory, LaporCovid-19 identified a number of problems that could potentially occur among students if face-to-face learning was implemented. Apart from that, LaporCovid-19 also received reports from the public about the number of educational institutions that did not implement health protocols in a disciplined manner.

Students' Social Cognition regarding the Government's Handling of Covid-19

LaporCovid-19 and the University of Indonesia's Social Intervention and Crisis Laboratory conducted a study of students' social cognition regarding the government's handling of Covid-19. The study was attended by 859 students studying higher education in DKI Jakarta, West Java and Central Java.

Based on the results of the study, 39% of respondents apparently had family who had been infected with Covid-19 and 74.19% of respondents had close friends who were infected with Covid-19. This condition shows that students have a fairly high risk of being infected with Covid-19 if you look at their family and friendship circles.

In the midst of this high risk of infection, it turns out that more than half of the respondents or 51.3% have not undergone Covid-19 vaccination. In fact, the number of respondents who had received the complete dose of vaccine was very small, namely 10.2%. Central Java is the region with the highest percentage of respondents who have not been vaccinated, namely 62.78%, followed by West Java with 44.93% of respondents who have not been vaccinated, and DKI Jakarta with 44.89% of respondents who have not been vaccinated. The low vaccination rate among students should certainly be a concern for the government before deciding to hold face-to-face learning.

The study also found that 23.17% of students had not received internet quota assistance to participate in distance learning during the pandemic. Central Java is the province with the most respondents who have not received quota assistance, namely 31.36%. This problem must be resolved immediately because internet quota assistance is very important so that students can participate in distance learning effectively.

Meanwhile, regarding student perceptions regarding the resolution of the pandemic, respondents thought that prevention carried out by individuals through health protocols 5M is the best way to resolve the pandemic. According to respondents, the implementation of the health protocol received a score of 4.59 on a scale of 1-5. Meanwhile, accelerating vaccination received a score of 4.53 and strengthening testing, tracing and treatment received a score of 4.28.

Citizen Reports regarding Face-to-Face Learning and School Activities

Apart from this study, LaporCovid-19 also received 34 reports in August 2021 regarding face-to-face learning and activities in schools. As many as 16% of the reports relate to activities at the early childhood education (TK) level, 32% from the Elementary School (SD) level, 11% from the Junior High School (SMP) level, 30% from the Senior High School (SMA) level, 8% from the Higher Education level, and 3% from the Al-Quran Education Park (TPA).

Based on region, there were 17 reports from West Java, 4 reports from Central Java, 3 reports from East Java, 7 reports from Banten, 2 reports from South Sumatra, and 1 report from West Papua.

In the 34 reports, the reporters conveyed a number of things, such as the emergence of clusters of Covid-19 transmission in schools, violations of health protocols in schools that had implemented face-to-face learning, parents' concerns regarding the implementation of face-to-face learning in schools, the existence of schools forcing face-to-face learning on parents and students, as well as the implementation of face-to-face Real Work Lectures (KKN) by one of the universities.

In connection with these various issues, LaporCovid-19 volunteer, Diah Dwi Putri, urged the government to postpone face-to-face learning until the positivity rate is below 5% according to WHO recommendations. Diah also asked the government to speed up Covid-19 vaccination because residents' reports showed that there was face-to-face learning at schools where students and teachers had not been vaccinated.

Charlie Albajili, public lawyer for LBH Jakarta, said that education is the right of all citizens, not just the privilege of certain groups. Therefore, the government must ensure that all citizens can receive proper education, including through distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Charlie is of the opinion that the government has indeed provided incentives and assistance for the implementation of distance learning, but the incentives for the world of education are not comparable to the incentives that the government has given to the business world.

There is also a lack of clarity in the policy, that a vaccine requirement is required for face-to-face learning, but there is no determination of how many should be vaccinated. "In fact, the vaccination coverage target is still very low and this is very dangerous if face-to-face learning is carried out," said Charlie. Charlie stated that this uncertainty should not have occurred if the government adhered to WHO and UNICEF guidelines regarding when face-to-face learning could be carried out.

Responding to this press conference, Ginanjar Ariyasuta, Chair of the University of Indonesia BEM, said, Innovative online learning activities are needed, but we see that attention to mental health is needed with mental health services. A special complaint channel is also needed for violations of health protocols carried out in educational institutions and those carried out by institutions directly supervised by the Ministry of Education and Culture (so far only complaint channels have been opened for the public such as LaporCovid-19), as well as providing sanctions for violations of health protocols.

Hanif Syuhada, Chair of KM ITB, also said that student involvement in policies for handling the pandemic must be increased. Mainstreaming a scientific approach is also very important in handling the pandemic. Therefore, the preparation and implementation of face-to-face learning must be carried out by referring to scientific indicators.

Meanwhile, Waraney Punuh, Chair of the Satya Wacana Christian University SMU in Central Java, stated that there were a number of problems that occurred on his campus during the pandemic. The cafe on campus is always busy, so online lectures don't actually put too much pressure on mobility. The second dose of vaccine has also been used up for students. Waraney also said that face-to-face learning policy making must involve the role of students so that it runs effectively.

Dr. Sonny Hamadi, head of the Behavioral Division of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force, said that if you wait for positivity rates below 5%, it will be very difficult. What we can do is manage risks as best as possible with existing data. There have been many efforts made by the government to speed things up testing, tracing, treatment. Although it is not easy to do when cases spike, because human resources are limited to carry out tracing. Sonny also said that students had also been involved as ambassadors for behavior change in the Task Force's COVID-19 handling program.

Based on the results of a joint study with the Social Intervention and Crisis Laboratory at the University of Indonesia and reports from residents, LaporCovid-19 urges that:

1. Face-to-face learning is postponed until the positivity rate is less than 5% because transmission at the community level is still relatively high. Imposing sanctions for schools that are still conducting face-to-face meetings in PPKM Level 4 areas.
2. Accelerate the implementation of vaccinations for students when face-to-face learning is to be carried out.
3. There is more massive involvement of students in making policies for handling the Covid-19 pandemic, especially face-to-face learning policies. Student perceptions regarding the pandemic also need to be taken into consideration in face-to-face learning.
4. Provide comprehensive and transparent information to every parent regarding the risk of transmission when schools open so that parents can make decisions based on the right information. Apart from that, there should be no coercion on parents to allow their children to return to school.
5. Formation guidelines clear mitigation that can be provided to each local government and implemented in each school when positive cases are found in schools.

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About ReportCovid-19

LaporCovid-19 is a platform for fellow citizens to share information regarding the number of incidents related to COVID-19 around us. A bottom-up approach through citizen reporting or crowdsourcing so that every citizen can participate in conveying information about cases related to COVID-19.

Contact Person:

Yemiko Happy – ReportCovid-19 (081358982549)

Diah Dwi Putri – LaporCovid-19 (082213556055)

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This press release can be downloaded via the following link

Attachment

1. Current Situation of Education in Indonesia

2. Face-to-face School Learning and Activity Report August 2021