PTM is executed with strict health protocols and online class sessions. This regulation was specified in the Circular Letter of the General Directorate of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Number 4 Year 2021.

To discuss the PTM procedure in ITB, KPC-PEN Media Center hosted a webinar through Youtube on Thursday (7/10/2021) with ITB’s Rector, Prof. Reini Wirahadikusumah, Ph.D. as the speaker.

Most learning outcomes in online classes can be achieved due to the availability of technology. However, the academic atmosphere that has been absent since 18 months ago is irreplaceable and remains something to be fighting for. "We are currently in the transition state of the studying system; if the situation worsens, we will be ready to halt everything,” Prof. Reini declared.

On 27 September 2021, ITB started to shift from online to hybrid study sessions. This gradual implementation of the PTM procedure with several limitations is done to reignite the once dissipated academic atmosphere in online lectures.

One of the requirements to visit the campus is to be vaccinated at least one time. Prof. Reini explained that 70% of ITB students are vaccinated based on a survey distributed to approximately 24 000 students last month.

“I wish ITB students are vaccinated not only for the sake of entering the campus but also for building the awareness on preventing transmission of the disease. All students must act as ambassadors of the health protocols,” she insisted.

In addition, the event invited Prisyanti Nurwardani as its speaker, who is the Secretary of the General Directorate of Higher Education from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. Other guests include Ilham Subandoro, who is awarded as the most outstanding ITB student, and Andreas Tambah from the National Commission of Education.

Prisyanti described the results of a survey conducted on both public and private universities. 82% of the applicants are ready to implement the PTM system. 63% of them are prepared for the hybrid learning method while 8% still wish to attend online classes. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology also surveyed health protocol facilities.

As one of the most outstanding students in ITB and across Indonesia, Ilham Subandoro reminded everyone that returning to campus is not for the euphoric experience of campus life. It is to gain the activities, knowledge, and opportunities that could not be shared via online lectures. “As part of the millennial generation, we students also have the responsibility to be health protocol ambassadors and remind others to follow these regulations,” he emphasized.

In this transiting moment, canteens and extracurricular ventures are unavailable. Activities aside from classes, research, and community services in laboratories, workshops, and more are restricted. All learning sessions are implemented with strict health protocols so that each class’s capacity is 50% of the actual total number of students. If students do not follow the required health protocols and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), they will be reprimanded. Continuous negligence would result in a written warning and further consequences.

“Many videos are made for all ITB personnel to be familiar with these protocols. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology had also given out monthly surveys to them. In fact, one of the suggestions we got is the idea of transparent masks to accommodate the deaf,” Priyanti continued.

Prof. Reini said that the reopening of the campus will be done sequentially. “In a few months, we will reinitiate practical works. ITB’s COVID-19 task force has conducted several inspections at the Ganesha campus. The ‘Welcome Back to Campus’ event on 27 September 2021 acts as a campaign for ITB’s security against the pandemic,” she said.

Reporter: Dheamyra Aysha Ihsanti (Perencanaan Wilayah dan Kota, 2019)
Translator: Ruth Nathania (Teknik Lingkungan, 2019)