Abdul Mu'ti Confirms No Online Learning for Students

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti has confirmed that there are no plans for online or distance learning for students as part of the energy-saving policy. It is known that the government is preparing regulations for work from home, or WFH, one day per week for civil servants (ASN). This policy aims to save fuel oil consumption (BBM) due to the war in the West Asia region. According to Mu’ti, this regulation does not apply to the education sector. “Learning will continue as usual,” said Mu’ti when contacted on Tuesday, 24 March 2026. He confirmed that the learning process for primary to secondary school students will proceed normally, namely through face-to-face sessions for five days a week. Previously, during a cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026, President Prabowo Subianto encouraged steps to save fuel oil consumption. Prabowo also considered the WFH policy as a measure to anticipate the impact of the global crisis. As a follow-up to the President’s directive, the Red and White Cabinet then prepared energy-saving strategies in the public sector, covering education, health, to general services. Last week, the issue of online learning emerged in the Technical Coordination Meeting on Fuel Oil Saving Policies. In that meeting, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno stated that this cross-sector energy-saving policy is planned to take effect in April 2026. He explained that energy savings include the application of online or offline learning methods, which will be adjusted to the characteristics of the course or lesson substance. However, recently, Pratikno emphasised that the implementation of education and health will continue normally. In a press statement on 24 March 2026, Pratikno said the government prioritises face-to-face learning implementation. He stated that the education sector must operate optimally. He also warned against the emergence of learning loss. The term learning loss refers to the loss of knowledge and skills, either generally or specifically, or the regression of the academic process due to certain factors. Pratikno acknowledged that there had indeed been discussions about the possibility of using hybrid methods in the student learning process. However, cross-ministry discussions agreed that there is currently no urgency for online learning for students. This is considering the importance of maintaining education quality.