Pekanbaru extends online learning until Friday due to haze
The Pekanbaru City Government in Riau Province has extended distance learning for students from early childhood education to junior secondary school due to worsening air quality caused by haze until Friday (28/8).
Acting Head of the Pekanbaru City Education Office, Abdul Jamal, said the extension of online learning is regulated through a circular on the adjustment of learning activities due to the decline in air quality in Pekanbaru City.
“Therefore, in order to protect the health of students from exposure to haze, we issued a circular on the adjustment of learning activities due to the decline in air quality in Pekanbaru City,” he said in Pekanbaru on Tuesday.
The policy, he continued, was taken in consideration of the air quality conditions in Pekanbaru City based on monitoring of the Air Pollutant Standard Index on Tuesday (25/8), which was observed to be in the unhealthy to hazardous category.
Secondly, schools and madrasahs under the authority of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and other ministries and institutions in Pekanbaru City are urged to adjust the implementation of learning activities accordingly, while continuing to pay attention to air quality conditions and the health and safety of students.
Thirdly, in order to strengthen the distance learning system and strategy, school principals are asked to facilitate and ensure that teachers participate in mentoring and webinars on strengthening distance learning that have been scheduled by the Pekanbaru City Education Office.
Fifthly, the implementation of subsequent learning activities will be adjusted according to the development of air quality conditions in Pekanbaru City based on information from the Air Pollutant Standard Index.
“In connection with the attached circular, school principals should pay attention to maximising the provision of assignments or exercises for students at home. Then, during distance learning, there will be no delivery of free nutritious meals,” said Abdul Jamal.