Gov’t Launches Internet Data Assistance Policy 2020
Internet data assistance policy 2020. (Photo by: Ministry of Education and Culture)
Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Anwar Makarim on Friday (24/9) virtually launched internet data assistance policy 2020.
This policy is expected to facilitate information access to teachers, students, university students and lecturers in long distance learning (PJJ) during COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy can be implemented through coordination between the Ministry and related stakeholders such as COVID-19 Mitigation and National Economic Recovery Committee, Ministry of State-owned Enterprises, and Ministry of Communication and Informatics.
The Minister said that internet data has become a problem faced by both teachers and students in carrying out the long distance learning. For that reason, the Ministry along with a number of stakeholders provides internet data subsidy for teachers, students, university students and lecturers for four months that used a budget of Rp7.2 trillion.
On that occasion, he expressed his gratitude for the coordination of ministries and institutions that made the launching of internet data assistance is possible. Echoing the same gratitude, Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny G. Plate said that the assistance which is sourced from the State Budget can be materialized through hard work from Minister of Education, Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Minister of Finance, Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and heads of other institutions, as well as the President.
“The fiscal assistance is given to 60 million students for general and special educations which will bring great benefits. Moreover, Minister Nadiem has well-allocated the utilization. I think that is a great decision,” Johnny said.
The Ministry of Communication and Informatics will ensure telecommunications operators to maintain their network quality. Attention from all stakeholders is crucial for the learning process.
In the meantime, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said that this cooperation showed that the Government is present and work 24 hours for the people.
“Our work programs are not changed from the beginning, namely Healthy Indonesia, Working Indonesia, and Growing Indonesia. Internet data assistance is a part of Working Indonesia,” he said.
Internet data provided by the Government consists of two types, general quota and learning quota. General quota can be used to access all pages and applications, while learning quota can only be used to access learning sites and applications on http://kuota-belajar.kemdikbud.go.id/ page.
For early childhood education (PAUD) students, 20 GB of internet data is provided per month, 35 GB of internet data is provided to elementary and middle schools students per month, while 42 GB is provided to teachers of PAUD, elementary and middle schools teachers per months, and 50 GB is provided to university students and lecturers. All of them receive 5 GB of general quota and the remaining is learning quota per month.
Minister of Education asserted that internet data assistance will be provided to all registered students and teachers gradually. First, they must register their mobile phone numbers. Then the Ministry in cooperation with telecommunications operators will verify and validate the numbers. Afterwards, an Absolute Responsibility Statement (SPTJM) will be issued, and lastly the data of phone numbers will be updated.
In the first batch, the disbursement of internet data assistance for the first month will commence from 22 to 24 September 2020, followed by the second batch in 28-30 September 2020. The data will valid for 30 days.
The disbursement of internet data assistance for the second month will commence from 22 to 24 October 2020 (first batch), and 28-30 October 2020 (second batch). For the third and fourth months, the data will be disbursed on 22-24 November for the first batch, and 28-30 November 2020 (second batch) which will be valid for 75 days.
If any student or teacher has not receive the assistance, the Minister told them to report to the head of education units and give their active mobile phone numbers to be registered, and ask operators at schools and universities to ensure that their numbers are active and registered for that assistance.
“I ask the public to not worry because all students and teachers will receive the assistance in gradual manner,” he added.
On that occasion, the Minister also said that connectivity improvement has been the Government’s priority program from 2 years ago. With regard to that matter, the Ministry of Education is preparing a module for PAUD and elementary education that can be access offline.
“I hope all teachers and students can be benefited from this internet data assistance,” he stated.
For the record, to supervise this assistance policy, the Ministry is cooperated with the Government Internal Supervisory Agency (APIP). The public can also report any violation against this policy on the page of Integrated Services Unit of the Ministry’s Cooperation and Public Relation Bureau, http://ult.kemdikbud.go.id/. (Ministry of Education/EN)
Translated by: Rany Anjany
Reviewed by: Muhardi
