"Vaccination is our ammunition to accelerate the recovery of learning in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic," Jumeri noted in a written statement on Thursday.
He later remarked that owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesian children had lost the opportunity to go to school and were left with no choice but to conduct distance learning from home.
As a result, learning outcomes among children had significantly declined. Hence, the government is seeking an immediate recovery in learning activities by implementing face-to-face learning directly, he added.
Jumeri conveyed that vaccination is not a requirement for PTM, but it supports the safety and security of children to start learning in school again.
"Although it is not a learning requirement for PTM, this vaccination is important to maintain the safety and security of children in participating in PTM. We must have the same understanding to support this vaccination," Jumeri remarked.
He also lauded the Ministry of Health for supporting the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination for students aged six to 11 years.
Jumeri noted that there were over 25 million elementary school students aged six to 11 years in Indonesia.
Elementary School Director Sri Wahyuningsih is optimistic that vaccination for children aged six to 11 years would lower parental concerns about their health while limited PTM was conducted.
"This vaccination activity is the answer to the community, so that parents do not hesitate and could give permission to their children to participate in limited PTM," Wahyuningsih stated.
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She appealed to the public to remain optimistic about vaccination for children, as this is part of fulfilling the children's health rights.
"This is an effort by the government to boost the children's immune system to prevent them from being exposed to the coronavirus," she affirmed.
Wahyuningsih remarked that currently, over 50 percent of elementary schools in Indonesia had implemented limited PTM. This figure was forecast to grow in the next year.
The implementation of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 6-11 years is expected to encourage and expand the implementation of limited PTM across Indonesia.
This limited PTM is an effort and solution to prevent children from falling behind in learning due to the pandemic since the school is an optimal place to provide learning, both academic and character building, for children.
"Hence, we all have to support child vaccination to ensure the safety of all, especially to ensure parents in allowing their children to go to school," she stated.
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Translator: Indriani, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
