VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic can be used to completely correct and evaluate the education system in Indonesia.

"And we must use the pandemic condition to evaluate and correct the total world of our education," said the President in the 2021 National Education Day podcast (Hardiknas) broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, in Jakarta.

The President hopes that the pandemic will not be a barrier for society to progress. The nation's aspiration to achieve superior quality of Indonesian human resources (HR) through education must be pursued.

"So that quality education for all people is truly felt by our people from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island, all of us feel," said the Head of State.

In the midst of the challenges of this pandemic, according to the President, educators and students alike must use new, innovative ways in order to continue to receive quality teaching. If education still uses the old methods, then Indonesia will be left behind.

"We need new ways, digital, hybrid, and we must adapt quickly, must be adaptive, creative and continue to innovate," he said.

With this hybrid system, distance learning is rolled out so that education continues, but can prevent transmission of COVID-19.

The challenge, said the President, is to ensure that all learning is conveyed properly, especially for the basic education level.

"And teachers are required to be truly creative and innovative," said the President.

Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Makarim agreed with President Jokowi. According to him, there really needs to be a change in the education system in Indonesia.

"Because the pandemic is becoming much clearer," he said.

He gave an example of several aspects of education that needed to be addressed, namely the digital divide, unequal internet access, and unequal access to quality teachers. (Antaranews)