Nowadays, all of schools in Indonesia from Sabang till Merauke have been stopped for a while by the regional government. This is done for the sake of stopping the spreading of corona breakout which its level can be categorized “severe’, and its infection is really fast, and it can infect the whole people around the world without seeing the age, status, occupation and social levels in a society.
Badly, there are many effects caused by this breakout, not only financial and health’s matter, but also the educational systems which all students are free for uncertain time.
The minister of Education & Culture in Indonesia (Mr. Nadiem Anwar Makarim) in his speech, he stated that “the whole of educational systems and its devices (specially, teachers and scholars) in all Indonesian areas must be patient, creative and having a wisdom from this covid -19”.
“Studying is not always easy, but this time is to make an innovation. This is the right time to do a wide range of experiments and listening to our own conscience, so our nation gets better in the future” (Mr. Nadiem’s speech in Education Day - HARDIKNAS, May 2, 2020).
At present, there is no graduation anymore for all students who have finished their studies, particularly at high school and university. As we know that the ceremony of graduation is kind of the big pride for all students for their entire life, which they are successful to finish their last tasks and giving the huge achievement to their respective parents. Unfortunately, this thing must be postponed for the time beings, because the breakout of corona is becoming the global situation around the world now.
The activity of teaching right now is established by online program. The entire lecture from primary till college teaches all of its pupils with online lesson which the number of lessons are introduced by media of internet. There are some applications used by teachers, such as: Zoom, Skype, Google classroom, TeamViewers, etc.
The whole of these apps are really essential for students who are following the online classes now. Most of scholars are using the laptop or mobile to open all these applications. Besides, they can also meet with their teachers face to face during online class, and it unable to have a long discussion.
Interestingly, some pupils also borrow their parents’ handphone to have an online class. They just install meeting online applications as I mentioned above. I think that it is good idea for the whole of parents’ groups, which they can supervise their children directly from house. By the helping of sophisticated technology, the figure of scholars are able get class during the difficult situation right now.
However, there is little bit of issue about the online teaching. Because most of Indonesian areas are still in remote areas, so it is really difficult to get the internet access. As a result, some students who are living far away from city are not able to reach the online class.
Besides, in order to get for internet access, the students must buy a credit of internet data by using data card (called “kartu data” from several provider internets (such as: Telkomsel, Axis, Indosat and XL) which its cost is rather expensive for the capacity more than 5G. Moreover, they have to go special shop (called counter) to top up the balance of credit.
This is kind of additional burden for each student’s parents whose a lower economical background. They are still struggling so hardly to get some money for fulfilling the daily life of household, so there are number of students are not able to follow teacher’s lesson during staying at home for quarantine.
