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PETALING JAYA: Schools will reopen on January 20 as scheduled despite the extension of the recovery movement control order until March 31, says the Ministry of Education.
According to the ministry, all educational institutions under the ministry’s purview, registered private educational institutions and international schools will follow the 2021 school term calendar as stated by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his New Year’s Day message.
“The inauguration will involve all educational institutions nationwide, including those located in conditional areas of MCO,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday.
He said that all educational institutions are advised to follow Covid-19 guidelines, SOPs, and new standards set by authorities.
“The Ministry of Education, together with the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council, will continue to monitor the situation of educational institutions to ensure that everyone’s health is prioritized,” he added.
Parents and teachers had previously expressed concern that the extension of the recovery MCO announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri on Saturday could affect the reopening of public schools across the country on January 20.
As it will be the start of a new school year, parents will need time to purchase new uniforms, shoes, and books for their children in advance before school begins.
NUTP Secretary General Harry Tan said teachers should remain calm and follow the directives of the Ministry of Education.
“Let the Ministry of Education make the decisions looking at data and statistics.
“We must all give our full support to the ministry to handle the pandemic. We, as teachers, stick to our core business: providing the best comprehensive education to our students in a safe environment, “he said.
The president of the National Association of Parents and Teachers (PIBGN), Adjunct Professor Datuk Dr. Mohd Ali Hassan, said he anticipates that parents will keep their children at home in the red zones even when the school reopens on January 20. .
However, he suggested that due to the high number of cases, only those who appear for public examinations can be physically present in schools.
“Students taking public exams this year, such as the SPM and STPM, should be able to attend school as usual as they need to have a face-to-face teaching and learning environment.
“There is a reason for this extension to March 31 and it is because Covid-19 cases are high.
“The Ministry of Education must also verify the readiness of all schools before allowing children to physically return to schools.
“Seeing this, many parents will worry about sending their children to school, which is what happened last year when parents decided to keep their children at home despite the reopening of schools.
“My suggestion is that while the vaccine has not yet been issued in the country, students who will not appear for public exams this year should continue classes online.
“Also, you have to remember that students and teachers would not be given vaccinations.
“Therefore, they should be among the first group of people to get vaccinated, as they are also pioneers in managing hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren,” he said.
Dr. Mohd Ali, who has five children who go to school, said that he too would be cautious about sending his children to school when cases continue to rise.
Last July, when schools reopened during the MCO’s recovery, the Ministry of Education offered parents the option of keeping their children at home if they wanted to.
However, schools were forced to close again and resumed online learning in October as the number of cases increased.
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