Limitation of Internet Access for E-Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic

          COVID-19 has occurred since December 2019 with the first outbreak in Wuhan, China. The spread of this virus also has occurred in more than 227 countries. Hence, it causes the pandemic around the world that is still hard to handle until nowadays, especially in Indonesia. Many life sectors which is obstructed by the pandemic, included education sector. To avoid the spread of COVID-19, the Indonesian government makes new education policy, where face-to-face learning is changed into online learning. Students have to learn from home or it can be called E-learning which relies on technology. However, there are significant challenge while implementing E-learning, one of those challenges is, internet. Moreover, according to one of statements in news, there are still many students who feel unpleasant when they learn from home because the availability of internet in Indonesia is still inadequate and internet is unstable (Hasbi, 2020). It becomes an obstacle itself for not only students of high school but also students of university when E-learning during the pandemic. This essay will focus on how lack of internet access provides negative affect for learning activity during the pandemic. Firstly, the essay will identify the impact of limitation of internet access for students. Secondly, the essay will identify how either the government handles limitation of internet access in E-learning activity. Because there is less available data on experience of bad internet access in students of university realm, this essay will only discuss bad internet access in students of school realm.

 

Source: https://republika.co.id/berita/qdkc8t283/pelajar-terkendala-keterbatasan-jaringan-internet-7

 

Limitation of internet access is the main obstacle in E-learning activity. It provides negative impact for students. Although now is 21st century, where technology has huge role, especially in education (Kamba, 2017), not all of students can access technology, one of them, is internet, especially for students who live in rural areas will find it difficult to access the internet. Most of them are forced to stay out of their house to find a good internet signal. They have to walk for several kilometer so they can access the internet and conduct E-learning. For instance, (Bustami A, 2020) shows that there is a nineth-grade-student in Ciamis, West Java, who has to conduct their homework at security post because the internet only can be accessed at certain points. Even though, they ought to stay at home because of pandemic, they are willing to go out of their house and ignore their health for conducting their homework. This situation seems unprofitable and pathetic. The students cannot receive knowledge as it should be, meanwhile other students who has good internet access can receive it. For this reason, it might cause uneven access for E-learning and foolishness towards among students.

Neverthless, Indonesian government tries to handle a problem of internet access. The government tries to find an effective way to handle it, by airing a program “Belajar dari Rumah” through TVRI channel, based on the initiative of the Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim. He has ever said, “which should be noted that in fact in this situation, is the provision of meaningful education.”. Based on his statement, he chooses meaningful learning model during pandemic. Therefore, airing a program “Belajar dari Rumah” is chosen. The learning program on TVRI is not only innovative but also helpful because the content of this program can create fun atmosphere in learning activity (Zuhri R. S, 2020). This program also provides the material which is about how parents should educate children properly. Besides, it is regarded to help the implementation of education for all people, especially for those whose geographical locations are difficult to reach internet access. However, on the other hand, the government cannot only rely on program “Belajar dari Rumah”, they also should provide good internet facility for students, especially in rural area, since the TV program is not enough for learning. Moreover, only relying on the TV program cannot make students conducting their homework, it only provides learning material. Because when students conduct E-learning, they not only receive learning material but also homework, and they need internet access to conduct their homework.

In conclusion, in this situation, internet access not only can be needed since almost every activity is changed into online activity but also it can be a main obstacle for students when E-learning during COVID-19 pandemic as it is limited. The limitation of internet access may gives negative impacts, where most of students in rural areas cannot take lessons properly. They also have to walk several kilometers to access good internet. This situation becomes challenging itself for Indonesian government so the government provides program “Belajar dari Rumah”, but it is not enough. Therefore, equity of internet access becomes another choice which should be done by the government for welfare of education in Indonesia so all of people, either who are in rural areas or urban areas can also enjoy education, especially during the pandemic.

Created by: Rizka Faidah Utami

References

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Kamba, M. A. (2017). The Internet as a Tool for Interactive Learning, Teaching and Research: Nigerian Experience. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 2(3). Retrieved from https://online-journals.org/index.php/i-jet/article/view/109/76

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