VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed the entry of three new coronavirus variants into Indonesia, including those originating from India, South Africa, and Great Britain.

"It has been reported to the president that new mutations (of the coronavirus) have entered (Indonesia), including the mutation from India for which we have seen two incidents and both were in Jakarta, and one incident involving the South African variant found in Bali," Sadikin noted at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

"Apart from the Britain variant, for which we have found 13 cases, two cases involving the Indian strain and one case involving the strain from South Africa were also detected," he revealed.

The mutated coronavirus strain first found in Britain was named B117, while the variant initially found in India was identified as B1617, and the mutated strain from South Africa was named B1351.

The minister remarked that the new coronavirus mutants are listed under the "variant of concern" category, highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"We need to manage this on account of the fact that the number is still small, as they can spread rapidly due to their higher infection rate as compared to other variants," he stated.

Isolation measures should soon be applied by those having contracted the new coronavirus strains, and those who came in contact with them should be traced and examined at the earliest, he stated.

The minister also recapped the criticality of applying health protocols to contain the transmission of COVID-19.

"It is of utmost importance to wear a mask, wash your hands, and maintain distance. Whatever the virus or the strain is, if we are disciplined in implementing health protocols, infections should be averted," he stated.

"To this end, I will continue to reiterate that health protocols should be followed by all of us, everywhere we are," the minister emphasized. (Antaranews)

The government is determined to realize structural reforms in the educational sector to face a major change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said.

"The government is determined to realize structural reforms in the educational sector," she said in her personal instagram account @smindrawati in Jakarta on Sunday.

The minister's statement came as the nation commemorated the National Education Day on Sunday (May 2) in remembrance of Ki Hajar Dewantara, Indonesia's first education and national hero.

Sri Mulyani said the extraordinary change in the educational sector is because the COVID-19 pandemic has changed all aspects of education, leading to online/virtual learning.

"The change due to the COVID-19 pandemic is not easy for everyone. Children, teachers and parents are all facing the challenge," she said.

However, the extraordinary change has made the public aware that education plays a crucial role in bringing about progress and civilization.

To that end, she appealed to teachers and parents to take prompt action to create freedom of learning.

She also asked all Indonesian students to rekindle the spirit of study. to get their ideals realized and play a role for the sake oif the nation's progress.

"Remain disciplined to follow health protocols in all learning and teaching activities," she said. (Antaranews)

House Speaker Puan Maharani said the commemoration of National Education Day which falls on May 2 offers a momentum to map school dropouts during the COVID-19 pandemic and find solution to the issue.

"The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology must find the cause of school dropouts during the pandemic. The commemoration of the National Education Day 2021 themed "Move Simultaneously, Create Freedom of Study" offers a right momentum to map problems and find solutions to the problems." she said in a statement released here on Sunday.

She asked whether the school dropouts resulted from long distance learning or economic difficulties faced by families due to the pandemic.

Since the pandemic is still not over, schools may apply long distance leaning, she said.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology needs to improve learning infrastructures, she said adding equitable distribution of infrastructures for long distance learning must absolutely be met by the government.

To make preparations for long distance learning and ensure equitable distribution of long-distance learning facilities, the ministry needs to test the effectiveness and quality of teachers, students and learning materials.

The step must be taken to prevent educational disparities from widening, particularly during long distance learning that need digital infrastructures, internet access and other supporting facilities.

"It is necessary to assess the effectiveness of online learning. Unless step is taken, education disparities will be widen," she said. (Antaranews)

Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim stated that the National Education Day is a momentum to revive the ideas of Ki Hajar Dewantara, Indonesia’s father of education.

“Starting today, the ideas of Indonesia’s father of education must be ingrained and revived in order to create a qualified education for all Indonesians and bring about a genuine independence of learning,” Makarim noted in his speech to the National Education Day here on Sunday.

Clad in traditional attire from Rote in East Nusa Tenggara to mark the 2021 National Education Day,  Makarim added that the ideas of Ki Hajar Dewantara has not been well-implemented for so long.

Education in Indonesia must lead to the revelation of mental happiness and life safety. The basic essence of education is to liberate human’s life, he emphasized.

“This is the right momentum for us to reflect what has been done optimally and what needs to be improved. A new chapter of Indonesia’s education means transformation, one that still refers to  people's history and also a bravery to create a new and bright history,” he highlighted.

Makarim expressed aspiration that Indonesian children can be the learners who hold tightly on Pancasila’s philosophy, the learners who are free throughout their lives, and the learners who are able to face the future confidently.

Hence, the ministry strives to transform the education with a breakthrough namely “Merdeka Belajar” (free to learn). Four steps to mirror the efforts of improvement are continually implemented by involving all elements of society.

The efforts of improvement encompasses infrastructure and technology, policy, procedure, funding, and autonomy grant for educational units.

“Since the beginning I served (as a minister) , including during the pandemic, ten episodes of Merdeka Belajar have been launched and more breakthroughs of it that we will continue to do,” he pointed out.

Such meaningful transformation has to be done to change from what makes this nation go nowhere to some leaps of advancement.

“From the bottom of my heart, the extended family of the ministry and I would like to thank you profusely,” he said.

The breakthroughs of Merdeka Belajar must entirely cover the public, starting from the educators and students from early childhood education to higher education. parents, people’s representatives, regional administrations, community organizations, business and industrial sectors, from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island,he pointed out.

“The pandemic crisis is a field of optimism waiting for being harvested. Crisis is a chance to reap the progress,”he noted.

Recently, some schools have resumed a restricted face-to-face learning, while others are still preparing for it.

He expressed spirit in seeing the public that are aware to move forward and do some leaps in pursuit of advancement without doubts, by surely paying attention to the safety and security.

“We need to understand that the pandemic is not the only challenge we are facing. In the near future, there must be abundant of challenges we need to meet together. Let us meet the challenges with innovations and solutions,” he remarked.

“Let us make a bright history that the world cannot deny. Merdeka Belajar can be quickly realized if we educate, take care, and love each other for one goal— the top-notch human resources, Onward Indonesia,” he added.

The 2021 national education day commemoration is organized on topic “Moving Together, Realizing Merdeka Belajar”. (Antaranews)