TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu'ti, has confirmed that the proposed shift to online learning as a contingency for global crisis impacts has been officially cancelled.
Mu'ti stated that following a cross-ministerial meeting, the teaching and learning process in schools will remain face-to-face. He pointed to an official statement released by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, on March 23, 2026.
"Schooling will proceed as usual based on academic considerations," Mu'ti said on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Furthermore, he explained that the decision was driven by the need to strengthen character education for students. "Detailed guidelines will be provided in a Circular Letter from the Ministry," he added.
However, Mu'ti has yet to disclose the specific timing or the full contents of the expected circular.
The discourse of online school began during a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, March 13, 2026, where President Prabowo Subianto urged fuel-saving measures. Prabowo also weighed the possibility of work-from-home policies as a buffer against global instability following the US-Israel and Iran conflict.
As plans for civil servants and the private sector to work from home emerged, the prospect of student distance learning followed suit. Recently, however, Coordinating Minister Pratikno emphasized that in-person learning remains a government priority. According to Pratikno, the quality of education must be safeguarded despite the global crisis.
Thus, the education sector is expected to operate at full capacity and, whenever possible, through direct interaction. Pratikno underscored this in internal directives to the health and education deputies at his ministry. He specifically referenced President Prabowo Subianto's briefing during the Plenary Cabinet Meeting on March 13, 2026.
Pratikno noted that Prabowo is focused on elevating the quality of human resources, particularly in health and education. "In the education sector, the learning process must become more optimal, and we must avoid any learning loss," Pratikno stated in a written release on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Pratikno acknowledged that there were initial discussions regarding a potential hybrid learning model. However, the cross-ministerial consensus reached the conclusion that there is currently no urgent need for students to return to online platforms.
Read: Indonesian Lawmaker Opposes Nationwide Online Learning
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