People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Lestari Moerdijat has urged the government to thoroughly evaluate the face-to-face mode of learning that led to the surfacing of COVID-19 transmission clusters.
Careful preparations for offline learning are necessary to prevent the emergence of new clusters when that mode of learning was resumed, according to Moerdijat.
“A thorough evaluation should be immediately conducted on face-to-face learning leading to the emergence of COVID-19 clusters. The security factor for all students and teachers must be prioritized during face-to-face learning,” the MPR deputy speaker outlined in a press statement issued here on Friday.
Moerdijat made the statement after the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry recorded of the total 46,500 schools conducting direct learning, 2.8 percent, or 1,296 schools, had reported COVID-19 clusters as of September 20, 2021.
Hence, a systematic evaluation pertaining to the new clusters should be conducted to address the problems being faced during face-to-face learning amid the pandemic, according to the deputy speaker.
“Face-to-face learning is expected to halt learning loss among students. However, do not compel to conduct direct learning if schools in some regions have not prepared yet, as it will instead threaten the safety of both students and teachers,” she expounded.
The appearance of thousands of clusters prompted by direct learning across the regions were likely caused by educational institutions that have not been ready yet in conducting this method of learning, she stated.
Moerdijat expressed regret over the surfacing of new COVID-19 clusters that resulted in students and teachers contracting the virus.
She expressed optimism that the government would immediately apply preventive measures, followed by massive testing and tracing to curb the spread of the virus more widely.
“Educational institutions should prepare a system that can ensure that students and teachers are in good health and are virus-free before participating in the direct learning process. In addition, the requirement of getting vaccinated should be fulfilled by them,” she emphasized.
Moerdijat, who also serves as the House of Representatives’ Commission X member, added that amid the pandemic, the public should adapt to new norms in conducting activities by fulfilling the requirements stipulated by stakeholders.
The adherence of all public elements to several regulations stipulated must be improved, so that they can conduct their activities and coexist with COVID-19.
“Face-to-face learning during the pandemic is a challenge for all children of the nation in implementing the national values, such as mutual cooperation, unity, sacrifice, and love for the country inherited by the founding fathers,” she remarked.
Hence, without strong commitment of all elements of society in obeying the stipulated regulations, the offline learning process amid the pandemic would be far from successful.
Source: Antara News