Some Indonesian Students Return to School, at a Distance

Some Indonesian Students Return to School, at a Distance

Schools reopened in parts of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, for the first time in more than a year on Monday. Schools that had been shut by the coronavirus were permitted to begin reopening as cases decreased.

A total of 610 schools that met guidelines set by the Jakarta Education Agency reopened their doors. Although, many safety measures are still in place.

In-person schooling¹ will be mixed with distance learning. In-person learning will slowly increase as the government studies the situation. Young children will go to school three days a week, middle school children will go for four days, and high school students will go for a full week of five days.

City officials at first planned to reopen schools in June. But they postponed² the start date when the Delta³ variant⁴ struck and infections increased.

"We have passed the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 infections," Jakarta Vice⁵ Governor Ahmad Riza Patria said Monday. He also said that officials hope to reopen all schools by January.

There are 5,341 schools for students of all ages in Jakarta, the government says.

"I feel nervous," said Akila Malawa, a 12-year-old student going to class for the first time in more than a year. "But I'm so happy to see my friends again," she added.

"I hope the coronavirus in Indonesia will end so I can go to school and meet friends every day," said her classmate, Amalwin Harjodisastra.

Schools in several other Indonesian cities also reopened Monday.

As schools restart, government guidelines have changed many class traditions. Talking in class is not permitted and face coverings must be worn at all times. Students cannot leave class during breaks. And classes are smaller and held in two shifts. Teachers must be vaccinated⁷.

The Health Ministry⁸ reported 5,436 new infections on Monday, the lowest daily total since June 9. They have decreased since new cases peaked on July 15, when more than 56,000 were recorded.

The city of Jakarta was once the country's COVID-19 center. Now it has recorded decreases in active and new cases since mid-July. Active cases have decreased from about 100,000 to below 8,000 a day. The Central Jakarta Health Service says the number of patients in several Jakarta hospitals is now below 30 percent.

The government says restrictions⁹ on public activities reduced the number of infections. Now, they are being eased. Officials have reopened places of worship and shopping areas. Outdoor sports events returned with some limits and people must show they are vaccinated to enter.

Indonesia began vaccinations¹⁰ earlier than many other countries in Southeast Asia. Last month, the country started giving shots to those between 12 and 18 years old. It aims to vaccinate⁶ more than 208 million of its 270 million people by March 2022.

Words in This Story

variant - n. different in some way from others of the same kind

peak - n. the highest level

classmate - n. a member of the same class in a school, college, or university

shift - n. the scheduled period of time during which a person works

worship - v. to show respect and love for God or for a god especially by praying, having religious services

1 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

7 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

10 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》