TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim, reasserted that elementary schools or locally known SD were not allowed to reopen for face-to-face learning activities in the new 2020/2021 academic year in July.

This also applies to regions that are classified as COVID-19 green zones. “Elementary schools are not permitted to conduct face-to-face learning activities yet,” said Nadiem in an online press conference on Monday, June 15.

The policy is stipulated in the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Minister of Education and Culture, the Minister of Religious Affairs, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Home Affairs concerning the guidelines for school learning activities in the new academic year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This policy was passed to prepare the public to enter the new normal era amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Nadiem noted that based on the government's data, a total of 94 percent of students were still in the red, orange, and yellow zones. This means only 6 percent of students are in the green zones—areas safe from the virus infection.

“So we will only allow schools in the green zones to have face-to-face learning activities,” Nadiem Makarim added.

In the first stage, senior high schools (SMA), vocational high schools (SMK), as well as junior high schools and their equivalent are allowed to be reopen next July. Elementary schools, meanwhile, will reopen in the second stage or two months after, followed by kindergartens and early childhood education schools or PAUD two months after the second stage.

DEWI NURITA