TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology's Patron for the Early Childhood Education (Bunda PAUD), Franka Makarim, has reassured parents to not worry about sending their children to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a media briefing here on Wednesday, Franka, who is the wife of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim, revealed that the result of the Bunda PAUD meeting in October involved encouragement for limited face-to-face learning (PTM Terbatas).

"We are all responsible for making this limited face-to-face learning successful. To this end, we need to encourage parents not to worry about sending their children to their early childhood education centers," she expounded.

The PTM Terbatas for the children joining the Early Childhood Education (ECE) or locally known as PAUD will be conducted under stringent health protocols, she informed.

Reopening of schools has only been allowed in regions whose status of public activity restrictions (PPKM) has been level 1,2, or 3, she noted.

Schools have also only been asked to limit attendance to half of the total number of children in the class, and switching groups of children attending class each week, she said.

Makarim added that collaboration between teachers, parents, and the public is crucial to create a harmonious learning environment for children.

She invited parents, experts, and partners to collaborate with teachers and PAUD workers to design learning activities for long-distance learning and support the provision of learning materials.

This collaboration is also important to improve access to children's books within locations that are accessible by educators and parents, especially those in PAUD, she said.

To this end, PAUD workers have been urged to partner with parents and the public, she added.

Earlier, an official at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Janaka, had said that COVID-19 vaccinations will remain a priority for conducting live face-to-face learning during the new normal.

"During the new normal, after two months in the first phase, (live face-to-face learning) will be allowed, albeit in compliance with the health protocols," Janaka noted during a virtual event on October 19, 2021.

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