Malang 2020. Situation of the spread of the Corona Virus Disesase 2019 (Covid-19) in Indonesia is still ongoing. For the cities of Malang and East Java, the number of people who are exposed is still increasing. East Java still has not passed the status as a red zone, and Malang City is no exception.

Reporting from the Covid19.go.id page until Friday 26 June 2019 the number of Indonesians who were positively exposed to Covid 19 was 50,187 people with 2,620 deaths.

based on these conditions, on June 15, 2020, the Joint Decree of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendikbud RI), Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenag RI), Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenkes RI), and Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia was socialized ( RI Ministry of Home Affairs) regarding the rules for the opening of the new school year. The results of the Joint Decree state that learning for the Early Childhood Education (PAUD) level will be the longest level to carry out learning from home.

This situation is certainly a very difficult situation for PAUD institutions and PAUD student guardians in Indonesia. The results of the evaluation of learning from home that have been tried to be implemented by all PAUD institutions in Indonesia have left many complaints from both teachers and parents.

Early childhood development, which demands direct learning, makes it difficult for teachers to determine appropriate learning strategies when children learn from home. The government has determined that the new school year will start on July 13th.

This means that PAUD Institutions in Indonesia have less time to evaluate and plan effective home learning strategies for early childhood.

Realizing this challenge, the Lecturer of the Early Childhood Education Teacher Education Study Program (PGPAUD) State University of Malang (UM) who is also a Doctoral Student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Evania Yafie, S.Pd, M.Pd revealed the importance of early childhood education experts. to be present and stand behind Indonesian PAUD teachers in order to jointly find solutions in responding to challenges during this pandemic.

"PAUD teachers are currently confused, they need our contribution as people who learn and research the world of early childhood education to help, direct and guide them in responding to the challenges of this pandemic," said Evania.

"There are so many of our PAUD institutions that can barely survive this pandemic if we are not present to strengthen them with the knowledge that we have learned." The payoff.

Armed with this enthusiasm to contribute, Evania initiated the holding of a relay webinar to strengthen the existence and competence of PAUD Institutions in Indonesia. The relay webinar, named "Educational Chat", began with the strengthening of the Child Care Center (TPA) on Thursday, June 25, 2020.

In the Webinar with the theme Challenges and Strategies for Child Care Center Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the New Normal Era, Evania collaborated with her colleagues in the UM PGPAUD Study Program, namely Rosyidamayani T. Maningtyas, S.Psi, M.Pd, to jointly become a resource person in the webinar. The webinar which is intended for strengthening the TPA Institution is moderated by Dessy Farantika, S.Pd, M.Pd who is an alumni of UM S1 and S2.

153 participants who registered for this webinar came from all over Indonesia. To optimize the benefits of this webinar, people who do not have the opportunity to join this webinar can also listen via the youtube link: Rosevonia Channel.

The material for the First Session of the Educational Chat Webinar was delivered by a lecturer at PGPAUD UM, Rosyidamayani T. Maningtyas, S.Psi, M.Pd. The lecturer who is also active in the Alief Pelita Bangsa Community Empowerment Foundation in Malang conveyed the importance of the position of TPA in community life and what strategies TPA should do to maintain its existence, especially during a pandemic.

In the second session, the material was delivered by Evania Yafie, S.Pd, M.Pd. This UM PGPAUD lecturer who is also a doctoral candidate explained what strategic steps need to be taken in organizing a TPA during the Covid pandemic.

The two materials received very good responses from the participants. Lots of participants expressed their gratitude for being able to take part in the educational chat webinar and gain knowledge which they had been hoping for in the last few months.

"Alhamdulillah, thank you to the committee who has organized this event. Today's material really helps us landfill managers, where the current condition is still in a pandemic state, ”said Ms. Titin, one of the webinar participants and Little Finger TPA Manager.

The educational chat relay webinar itself will be held again on Saturday with the theme Challenges and Playgroup Learning Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the New Normal Era.

Reporter: Rosyi Damayani Twinsari Maningtyas, M.Pd - Lecturer at PG PAUD FIP UM