JIS prioritizes the health and safety of its students, teachers, and staff in the 2020/21 academic year with students returning to school.
Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) was one of the first Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama (SPK) in the capital to reopen for face-to-face teaching on Wednesday, April 7, after being selected by the Jakarta Education Agency to be part of a pilot program aimed at modeling a safe return to campus with a blended learning model.
Committed to ensuring the wellbeing of its entire community, JIS worked closely with experts from international health organizations, as well as the Ministry of Education and Culture, to create a comprehensive plan that would allow students, teachers, and staff members to remain safe on campus.
“Jakarta Intercultural School’s ability to provide a learning environment that is safe and healthy for our students is an important factor in our efforts to reopen campuses starting on April 7. With stringent protocols and social distancing guidelines in place, students can safely return to class,” said JIS Head of School Dr. Tarek Razik.
Dr. Razik continued, “Our health and safety protocols were created and designed to ensure a clean and safe school. Students will be protected by various health practices from the moment they arrive in school and enter their campus and classrooms, to the time they leave to go back home. This is our commitment to maintaining the wellbeing of our entire community while still providing a high-quality educational experience in the new normal.”
Supporting the school’s transitional reopening was Drs. Momon Sulaeman, M.M., M.Si, the Jakarta Education Agency’s Head of Elementary Schools, Special Education, and Education Services, who reviewed JIS’s overall preparedness.
“This pilot program aims to observe and determine the readiness of schools to resume face-to-face learning. The schools chosen to participate were selected after a rigorous assessment process that took into account their readiness in terms of health facilities and blended learning methodology,” said Momon Sulaeman.
He continued, “JIS is one of the 85 schools that have met the criteria for both assessment and training. We hope that JIS can serve as an example for other schools in Jakarta and Indonesia.”
JIS based its comprehensive new-normal protocols on four primary pillars, namely cleanliness, health, safety (particularly during breaks), and social and emotional support.
For cleanliness, the school has ensured that every classroom is cleaned and disinfected with a non-toxic high-performing solution that kills bacteria and viruses. From door handles and faucets to entire bathrooms, frequent touch-points are cleaned throughout the day, with high-traffic areas being the main priority.
A JIS student washing their hands.
One of the classes conducted at the JIS campus today.
One of the classes conducted at the JIS campus today.
Head of the Central Jakarta II Education Office using a hand sanitizer at the Cilandak, JIS campus during her visit to trial limited school opening.
In addition to requiring the use of face masks, JIS has experienced medical workers on staff and on campus daily to provide health and medical care, including in schoolwide efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmission. They have been trained to provide treatment for the novel coronavirus and are equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) when needed for treating students. New PPE is used with every student and disposed of safely after use.
Hand sanitizing stations are installed at every entry point, including outside of classrooms, and the entire JIS community is routinely reminded to wash their hands throughout the day, particularly during breaks. Classrooms are outfitted with Sharp air purifiers with HEPA filters and ion plasmacluster technology to clean the air in classrooms. These purifiers meet the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) for SARS family viruses, including the novel coronavirus.
Additionally, JIS has trained counselors and psychologists on staff who are ready to counsel students who may feel anxious about coming back to school after a year of online learning.
As part of its commitment to working with Indonesia, JIS is ready to partner with other schools to help them prepare for their own safe return to in-classroom instruction according to government guidelines and regulations.
Also Read Families in South Jakarta Received 1,000 Home Sanitation Kits from JIS and AGP