Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Urges Students to Cycle to School, Here's Why

The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti has urged students to make use of bicycles and walking if their homes are close to school in order to support the energy efficiency drive being promoted by President Prabowo Subianto. He views the widespread habit of cycling that was common among the public during the Covid-19 pandemic as a good practice that should be continued, especially amid threats of an oil crisis due to wars in Gulf countries and the Middle East. “So, for example, we encourage that if homes are close to school and it is indeed safe and comfortable, I think there is no harm in walking or returning to the cycling habit during Covid. Why not continue that habit? It is healthy and can save energy and keep the environment clean,” said Mendikdasmen Mu’ti after the Halal Bi Halal event at the Mendikdasmen Building A, Central Jakarta, on Monday (30/3). He also urged schools to promote waste recycling activities with students so that waste in the school environment can be processed and turned into an eco-friendly energy source. In addition, Mu’ti urged regional governments to improve public transport services in their areas so that students can use public transport as an option to get to school. This is because Mu’ti noted that currently students tend to use motorbikes to go to school due to the limited reach of public transport services in their residential areas. “And now there is a tendency for some children to feel more comfortable using motorbikes than public transport. In my view, if there is safe and comfortable public transport, these children can go to school using public transport. That is more energy-efficient and reduces pollution. This is a challenge for regional governments,” he said. Previously, on Thursday (19/3), Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya explained that President Prabowo Subianto instructed several of his ministers to focus energy efficiency on specific sectors so that the energy-saving policy runs on target. In a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, President Prabowo received reports from several ministers regarding the government’s anticipatory measures to maintain national energy resilience, especially amid threats of an oil crisis due to wars in Gulf countries and the Middle East. “The President discussed strategic steps related to the energy-saving plan in various sectors as an anticipation of political dynamics in the Middle East region that could affect the stability of global energy supply and prices,” said Teddy. He also added that regional governments must be able to optimise the use of public vehicles so that they can be utilised by students. The government ensures that face-to-face schooling continues amid the global crisis, with a focus on academic achievements and strengthening students’ character education. One of the steps taken is reactivating handwriting activities in the learning process. The revitalisation assistance menu provided to each school is not the same, but tailored to the needs of each educational unit. Abdul Mu’ti said that the main goal of fasting is to form a pious personality. One of the main indicators of piety is generosity or willingness to share.