As a part of Indonesia, West Papua is also facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like the other places in the world, that situation is affection so many life aspects. One of them is for sure the education aspect.
The schools and students need to adapt the new system where they have to do the learning online. The COVID-19 pandemic condition is also becoming a reason of why the West Papua government delays the face to fave learning. They think that it is the best decision.
Before, the face to face learning was scheduled to be done in January 2021. The head of the educational institution in that province, Barnabas Dowansiba, gave his comment. He informed the reasons of why they need to delay the face to face learning.
The main reason is to stop the chain of infection of this virus. That is based on the data that the new cases were still found in that province some months ago. To make everything clear, the institution have been making a letter.
Everything Must Be Based on the Official Permission
That letter of information is made from any levels of education in the West Papua. Those are from the kindergarten level up to the senior high school grade. Barnabas said that the face to face learning is able to be done.
However, the school needs the permission from the local government first. However, this delay is for sure not a final decision. The further terms may be taken by seeing the development and policies in the future.
Temporarily, the schools are asked to do an online system by giving the education module. It will be needed by the students and their parents as the base.
The West Papua Covid-19 Task Force spokesman Dr Arnold Tiniap in a separate interview assessed that the delay of face-to-face learning taken by the education agency was the right step.
We should wait for the development of emigrants in this area to pass and be completed until the next few months. From there they can take steps, whether children can enter school or continue to study remotely. The next policies and decisions can be made after that
The Challenge of Online Learning in the West Papua
Currently, education in Papua is very lagging behind various other provinces in Indonesia – both in terms of student learning achievements and digital infrastructure.
In recent years, both the region’s Human Development Index and Technology Development Index have consistently been among the lowest in the country.
The achievements of the students there in the National Examination (UN) also remained low throughout 2017 to 2019. The data shows the exact problem to face.
In 2020, amid the importance of online learning, the percentage of households in that area which have internet access is one of the lowest – only 29.5% compared to Jakarta which has 89%.
It shows That Papua is struggling to face the online learning challenge along the corona virus crisis. However, there is a good thing. The situation like that can be a right moment to invest and develop the education technology there. One of them is for sure in the West Papua.
How to Develop the Technology of Education
A 2015 study of the Analytical and Capacity Development Partnership (ACDP) with some parties identified several important prerequisites for developing educational technologies in Papua. Those essential prerequisites are sometimes happened in the other areas. Here are the lists of those things:
- Raise the awareness among educators about the importance of using technology
The first point is the most difficult to realize. It is especially for the teachers in theWest Papua, and even around the world. Although infrastructure development and digital capacity building can be done by the government, it takes a lot of energy. That also needs a long time to change the mindset.
- Ensuring the availability of digital infrastructure
Findings from the above study, for example, show that at the time, about 70% of teachers in that province were using technology only for administrative needs or preparing materials.
It is not used as part of the learning process. In fact, the study actually also found that many students already have laptops and smartphones
- Prepare the educators to have the ability to truly implement various digital tools and services related to education.
Here, the COVID-19 pandemic plays a very significant role in changing attitudes and behaviors, especially in education. The people involved must adapt to it properly.
The closure of schools encourages teachers in that province to review their teaching habits and begin to consider the importance of educational technology.
Although the digital infrastructure in Papua is not yet adequate, there are various indications that the use of educational technology is increasing sharply in the region. In the midst of a pandemic, educators in the West Papua and around seem willing to do an online learning if given a supportive environment.
