Education Ministry Grants Flexibility for MPLS Duration in Special Needs Schools

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) is providing flexibility regarding the duration of the ‘Friendly School Environment Introduction Period’ (MPLS Ramah) for special needs schools (SLB), allowing them to adjust to the specific needs of students with disabilities.

Kosasih Ali Abu Bakar, Head of the Study Team for the Centre for Character Strengthening at Kemendikdasmen, stated that while the MPLS activities generally begin in the first week of the academic year and last for five days, adjustments can be made for boarding schools, SLBs, schools providing special services, and schools facing specific conditions.

“For special needs schools that implement adjustments to the timing and duration of the Friendly MPLS, the details of the implementation must be reported to the Education Office or the ministry, according to their authority,” Kosasih said during a webinar titled ‘School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) in Special Needs Schools (SLB)’ in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

Furthermore, he noted that the entire series of Friendly MPLS activities, including in SLBs, must be socialised to parents at least five days before the implementation date, communicated through official letters, face-to-face meetings, or other effective communication media.

During the socialisation stage, he added that educational institutions must also educate parents regarding child-rearing patterns and the strengthening of character values through healthy and nutritious eating.

He also mentioned that Kemendikdasmen has prepared a reference for several activities that can be conducted in SLBs during the Friendly MPLS series to accommodate the barriers faced by students with disabilities.

For SLBs, he stated that Kemendikdasmen has prepared four activity reference books tailored to specific student impairments: visual impairment for SLB A, hearing impairment for SLB B, intellectual disability for SLB C, and physical disability for SLB D.