"The newly issued circular is different from before. If someone is exposed to COVID-19, PTM activities will be temporarily suspended only in study groups, not face-to-face learning activities in educational units (schools)," the ministry's secretary general, Suharti, clarified here on Monday.
If the COVID-19 infection is confirmed, face-to-face learning in study group settings will be halted for at least seven days.
Onsite learning activities will be temporarily suspended too if epidemiological monitoring shows that the positivity rate of COVID-19 at educational units has reached five percent or higher.
Meanwhile, in the absence of a transmission cluster at educational units or if the positivity rate is below five percent, students who have been confirmed to be exposed to COVID-19 will be asked to refrain from joining PTM activities for at least five days, the circular said.
The ministry has also called for the acceleration of booster vaccinations for educational workers and educators, and students who have met the requirements, Suharti said.
"The ministry continues to encourage and strive for the acceleration of COVID-19 booster vaccination for educators and education personnel (PTK) as well as for students who have qualified for the COVID-19 vaccine," she explained.
The ministry is also pushing local governments to respond quickly to obtain epidemiological information, as well as conduct COVID-19 tracing and testing, determine transmission clusters, and promote the use of the PeduliLindungi app at educational units.
The Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry has issued the new circular on face-to-face learning provisions based on the COVID-19 situation and discussions with four other ministries.
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Translator: Indriani, Kenzu T
Editor: Sri Haryati
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