Sekolah di wilayah perbatasan mengalami kesulitan melaksanakan pembelajaran daring di masa pandemi Covid-19. Tulisan ini bertujuan menggambarkan kondisi tersebut, dengan berfokus pada permasalahan yang dialami sekolah tapal batas selama pembelajaran daring. Sekolah tapal batas berada di Pulau Sebatik (perbatasan Indonesia-Malaysia) yang sebagian besar muridnya adalah anak-anak TKI. Peneliti menggunakan penelitian kualitatif jenis studi kasus dengan informan guru dan siswa-siswi di sekolah tapal batas (Madrasah Ibdidaiyah Darul Furwon). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran daring dilakukan melalui aplikasi whatsapp. Dalam prakteknya, sekolah mengalami berbagai kendala yang disebabkan oleh berbagai hal, antara lain : 1.) Keterbatasan terhadap akses internet 2.) Minimnya jumlah tenaga pengajar. 3.) Kurangnya bimbingan orang tua karena sibuk bekerja sebagai buruh kelapa sawit. Alhasil, pembelajaran daring di sekolah tapal batas menyebabkan partisipasi belajar semakin menurun.

Schools in border areas are threatened with closure due to the difficulty of organizing learning in the midst of a pandemic. This paper portrays this reality by describing the learning process of a border school (Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Darul Furqon) on Sebatik Island (the Indonesia-Malaysia border) during the COVID-19 pandemic. School is the foundation for the children of Indonesian migrant workers who work in Malaysian oil palm plantations. Therefore, this research applied a case study approach using qualitative research with the unit of analysis being families of Indonesian migrant workers who send their children to border schools. The results showed that learning activities in border schools can be facilitated through both online and offline learning. However, students often cannot attend lessons because of the lack of guidance from parents who are busy working as palm oil workers. Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has also caused student interest to decline and has triggered an increase in school dropouts. Student education during the pandemic is viewed as free time to help parents earn extra income. Keywords: school, COVID-19, Sebatik, borderland