Indonesia and all the countries of the world are facing the pandemic of the COVID-19. Various observers have not been able to predict until when the COVID-19 pandemic situation was completed. Not only disrupting the world’s health system, but this COVID-19 pandemic also carries a considerable impact on the socio-economic sphere. Many observers state that the impact was worse than the previous economic crisis, even worse than the Second World War.

The pandemic situation of the COVID-19 was also felt by educational activities. A variety of education quality improvement activities with direct meetings are forced to change the pattern of study with social distancing policy and large scale social restriction (PSBB). This implicates the changing of learning that has been conventional as a distance learning by using online media in the form of offline learning.

Philanthropy Cluster of Education, which is part of philanthropy, focuses on encouraging activities of philanthropy institutions to respond and contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic to help cope with pandemic and social impacts. Through the good practice sharing session this time a cluster of philanthropy education invites practitioners, education activists to share experiences in conducting various adaptations, modifications in running educational programs in their respective institutions while discussing the challenges faced and program sustainability plans. Moderated by Tanoto Foundation, educational practitioners who are invited to be speakers: Abdul Khalim (General Manager Sekolah Ekselensia Indonesia by Dompet Dhuafa Pendidikan), Freddy Ong (Chairman of Sekolah Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi and Head of West Jakarta Private Education Consultative Board), Margaretha Ari Widowati (Director of Basic Education Program Tanoto Foundation) dan Juliana (Program Development Manager of School Development Outreach Putera Sampoerna Foundation). on 27 April 2020.

Based on the exposure of Abdul Khalim, the SMART Ekselensia School (Sekolah Ekselensia Indonesia) of Dompet Dhuafa Education in sharing session of good educational continuity in the pandemic situation said that they remain committed to: 1) Keep the KBM (learning process) in progress with the use of various virtual communication and digital technology, such as Google Classroom, virtual attendance and other, 2) ensuring the availability of the most logistics for students living in dormitories, 3) stay in coordination with the health team of Dompet DHUAFA related to the health of the students who still live in the dorm. “It’s our learning process. Because of this abnormal condition, students are also asked to optimize existing facilities. Also, the school asks the OASE (for Junior High School) and OSIS (for High School) to create interesting additional activities in the field by physical, artistic, and culinary that can be done by the students and facilitated by the teacher. Even this activity is contested to spur the motivation of students. The allocation of funds is derived from the unused learning allocation post to support student activities “, said Khalim. He added that additional activities were aimed at dispelling the burnout of students.

On the other hand, the good practice of Sekolah Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi that presented by Freddy Ong, presenting the initial challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic is the teacher’s readiness in online learning as well as the limitation of the gadgets owned by his students. The way to anticipate that can be done is to train the use of several variations of the online platform for teachers so accustomed and not to cause boredom. Other things in terms of the weight of the material given, the Sekolah Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi in distance learning not only rely on cognitive aspects only but also emphasize the side of humanist education, religious education, and character education. “They are not taught only those who are cognitive but also learn how to dispose of garbage, help parents for kindergarten. For high school children also learn to motivate each other while the vocational high school makes a video to the medical team that is running its task “, he said.

Some of the other obstacles that arise in the implementation of online learning include financial barriers. However, these obstacles are encouraged by various parties with creative ways, such as opening donations, subsidizing in several educational posts, and switching the allocation of existing funds to support online learning.

The Minister of Education and Culture Indonesia, Nadiem Anwar Makarim has confirmed that the principal can allocate regular BOS (School Operational Assistance) funds for the purchase of credit, data packages, and online platform services by Duru and the students. It is contained in Permendikbud No. 19, the year 2020 on change of Permendikbud number 8, the year 2020 on regular BOSS Juknis. (Kompas.com, 15/4/2020).

It is undeniable that the implementation of distance learning activities also has to pay attention to the needs of online training as well as face to face training, one on one. Putera Sampoerna Foundation is committed to coaching mentoring to support the readiness of teachers, principals, and other education personnel, as presented by Juliana. Sampoerna Foundation has 2 (two) mainstay programs, which are Teacher Learning Center and also Lighthouse School, which is to succeed the Sustainable Development of Goals (SDG) number 4, which is quality education with the challenge of different areas, which is the area which is less supported by the education facilities (outreach area). The impact of COVID-19 occurs in both implementations of programs where various difficulties are encountered such as limited internet connection, the lacking of structuration of technology that related to online learning “From here we have anticipated it by changing the mindset that online learning becomes an answer to learning and now is the time to change. So far, we’ve also explored several platforms and combined learning or workshops through WhatsApp, Telegram, Zoom, Google Classroom, Padlet, and more. Nevertheless, online learning must be hands-on approach “, said Juliana.

Meanwhile, it was continued by Margaretha Ari, that Tanoto Foundation is committed to taking the role of a catalyst in its capacity to perform supporting the transformation to distance learning through a stakeholder approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, by creating a modeling training from conventional learning to a technology-based distance learning. “We have a local facilitator that is processed through Training For Trainer (TFT) as a driving driver to initiate distance learning. The example that has happened is the live streaming in Kutai Kartanegara around 3-4 hours from Samarinda, East Kalimantan “, said Margaretha Ari. From the local facilitator, Tanoto Foundation as a catalyst must also be sensitive to the obstacles faced by the facilitators that we have been in the same. Then, the responsibility of the Tanoto Foundation as a catalyst to its binary schools is to continue providing modules and guidance and model how our local facilitators facilitate learning. “We usually give the easy and interesting distance learning materials  to local facilitators that will be disseminated to their teachers’ assistance by”, she added.

In conclusion, in building collaborations in this COVID-19 pandemic, the role of various policy stakeholders is crucial. Besides schools, education activists, institutions that concern education, the Governments (both central and regional) are also important is the role of parents and mass media. If you can quote from Nadiem Makarim’s speech on National Education Day (2/05/2020) this year: “Teachers, students, and parents now realize that education is not something that can only be done in school. However, effective education requires the effective collaboration of these three things, teachers, students, and parents. Without that collaboration, effective education is unlikely to occur”. It is fitting for us to be with control and to expand the spirit for Indonesian education to the ideals of Ki Hadjar Dewantara.