Thus, no fees are collected from parents
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Presidential Staff Office reviewed the COVID-19 vaccination program for children in the 6–11 age group at Kebon Kosong 16 State Elementary School, Central Jakarta on Friday.

Abraham Wirotomo, Deputy II main expert at the Presidential Staff Office, said there were at least three interesting things he observed during the vaccinations.



One of them was the cost of the vaccination program, which was just Rp1,430,000 for 251 students.


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"The school doesn't have to spend a lot of money. The costs are only for consumption and banner installation," Wirotomo said in a press release here on Friday.



Principal of Kebon Kosong 16 State Elementary School, Dudi Setiabudi, said that the school was also not alone in conducting the vaccinations for the students. The school worked closely with the village administration, public health center, and local health office, he added.



"Thus, no fees are collected from parents," Setiabudi informed.


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Wirotomo said that the government is targeting to inoculate 26.5 million children in the 6–11 age group. The government has taken the measure as a means to support face-to-face learning in schools, he highlighted.



Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most students have had to study online, he noted. This has led to many students not understanding their lessons, he said.



One of the teachers at the school, Nuriyah, said that out of 20 students in Grade 1, only two students could read and write.



"We as teachers really feel the impact of distance learning, especially for elementary school first grade. Whatever the gadget, it cannot replace the interaction between teachers and students in class. I hope that with this vaccination program, we can do face-to-face (learning) 100 percent," Nuriyah added.


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Based on inputs received from teachers, students expect milk, candy, and chocolate after getting vaccinated, he noted. In the future, milk or chocolate would be provided to the students after vaccination, as a form of appreciation for their overcoming their fear of getting vaccinated, he said.



Vaccinations for children in the 6–11 age bracket were stipulated in the Decree of the Health Minister Number HK.01.07/MENKES/6688/2021.



The vaccinations will be conducted gradually, starting from district and city levels that have reached more than 70 percent first dose coverage and inoculated and more than 60 percent of their elderly population.



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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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