As Covid-19 rages on, the “new normal” forced by the pandemic seems to have taken root in many aspects of our lives. Changed norms and regulations to conform with the disruptive situation have been reluctantly accepted. It is now natural to be scheduling meetings and seminars online, making the high number of “zooms” attended per day a badge of honor. Certainly, it is wonderful to see literary events and the performing arts back on the virtual stage, lifting spirits amid these challenging times. Credit for initiating these programs should go to the Ministry of Education and Culture. We too are also planning a literary festival to coincide with Lontar’s 34th anniversary which falls on October 28, the same day as Youth Pledge Day (Hari Sumpah Pemuda).
With regional elections scheduled to be held in December, politics has become the dominant topic of conversation. With 50 out of the 270 regencies still classified as red zones for their high rate of Covid-19 infections, skeptics are pushing for the polls to be delayed to reduce the risk of causing more infections. But the government remains adamant about holding the elections as scheduled. For the first time, candidates must forego real-time rallies and deliver their campaign platform via social and broadcast media.
It is in the education sector where some of the Covid norms may be here to stay. The pandemic has compelled the government as well as teachers, parents and the students to rethink the whole learning process. Since March, the government has imposed a Learning from Home doctrine, compelling schools across the country to adopt to a new way of teaching. According to the World Bank, the earlier reluctance among some of Indonesia’s educational institutions to bring technology to the classroom has been turned around by the pandemic, even if it will pose problems for thousands of students from poorer families. In preparation for the new academic year, the government, supported by UNICEF, has been conducting webinars aimed at teacher capacity-building. More than 8,000 teachers across the country have so far attended them.
As a penultimate note ,I’d like to invite more individuals to contribute to Lontar. Corporate philanthropy is now, understandably, almost exclusively being directed towards the health sector. As a result, we now have a growing backlog of titles just waiting for the necessary funds to be published. Please give to Lontar today.
Finally, as October is “Language Month” (Bulan Bahasa) and in celebration of Lontar’s upcoming 34th anniversary, we are offering a discount of 20% on direct purchases of Lontar titles. (Shipping charges still apply.) Take advantage of this opportunity and build your library of Lontar titles now.
Yuli Ismartono
yismartono@lontar.org