As many as six cooperative schools in Bali’s Badung Regency have received formal warnings from the Education, Youth, and Sports Ministry (Disdikpora).
Sekolah Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama (SPK) are established in cooperation with foreign education institutions.
As reported by Radar Bali, the six schools not only received written reprimands, but the six SPK schools – that are primarily international schools, have had their Principals summoned and warned that their operating permits to operate international schools serving large numbers of foreign children were now at risk.
The angry warnings and threats of closure by Disdikpora follow reports of the subject schools illegally operating face-to-face teaching despite Community Mobility Restrictions (PPKM) restricting in-classroom teaching.
In issuing the warnings and summons for dressing downs, the acting head of Disdikpora-Badung, I Made Mandi, emphasized that Badung Regency still forbids face-to-face teaching formats due to COVID-19 contagion fears.
The six international schools’ principals were required to make written pledges that face-to-face educational formats would cease during the continuing pandemic.
The Badung Enforcement Agency (Satpol PP) has been tasked to place the six international schools under supervision and surveillance.
In their defense, the six international schools’ principals tried to mitigate their holding of face-to-face teaching formats by claiming parents and students were complaining of the difficulties of remote learning, the impossibility of Internet teaching, and problems with counseling students.
Under threat of possible closure, the six international schools have agreed to cease to conduct face-to-face teaching in Badung Regency.
