House Commission X Chair Syaiful Huda resides over a meeting between Commission X and Education and Culture Ministry at Nusantara I Building, parliamentary complex, Jakarta, Thursday (27/8/2020). Photo : Jaka/Man

A working meeting between the House Commission X and Education and Culture Ministry on Thursday (27/8/2020) provided the momentum to address multiple crucial issues relating to education such as remote learning (PJJ) system and pricey university admission fees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Commission X Chair, Syaiful Huda, presided over the meeting held at Nusantara I Building, parliamentary complex, Jakarta. He pointed out eight crucial issues relating to education during the pandemic. The meeting also presented reports from PJJ Working Committee headed by Commission X deputy chair Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti.

The meeting agenda included presentation of the PJJ working committee report and the 2019 central government financial report (LKPP). “There are eight points that are of concern to the public, including the issue about education stakeholders in Indonesia. I think it is the right platform and forum for the Minister to explain to all Indonesian people about several things related to the issue,“ Huda said.

He emphasized that Indonesia is facing an educational crisis both in terms of quality and quantity. The situation resulting from COVID-19 is something that nobody ever expected to happen in Indonesia. This, however, should not stop the nation from rising above. Among the eight issues raised by Huda was the patent rights of "Merdeka Belajar" or ‘independent learning’ owned by PT. Cikal, which is also used as the name of a program by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

“We have been informed about the Ministry’s effort to sort out the patent rights of the “Merdeka Belajar”, which now still belongs to PT. Cikal. The public want to hear your explanation about the granting process and its development so far,” the National Awakening Party politician stated. Some urged the rights be released for free use by the public and be fully utilized for the purpose of the education sector. Another issue raised in the meeting was the school reopening plan in green an yellow zones. The plan coincided with recent news of 53 teachers and students who have been tested positive for COVID-19, raising public concern that schools might become new clusters of coronavirus transmission.

“Rumours are circulating in the public that in-school learning in yellow zones would risk the rise of new clusters of COVID-19 transmission. If you could confirm if there really are new COVID-19 clusters at schools, that’d be appreciated,” Huda asked the government in the meeting. In the meeting, Huda also urged the ministry to shed a light on the adaptive curriculum or emergency curriculum during the pandemic for alternative learning methods to in-school learning. (mh/sf)