SIBU, Nov 10 — The one-size-fits-all decision to close all schools nationwide does not bode well for education, says Senator Robert Lau, who suggests that decision to close schools in Sarawak be delegated to the state due to its vast territory.

In fact, he sees the closure of all schools throughout the country as not a well thought-out action to deal with the spread of Covid-19.

"It is reactionary and again using one rule to fit all.

"Since the start of the (Covid-19) pandemic in March, large areas of Sarawak remain green zones and some towns and divisions on yellow zones throughout the MCO (movement control order) and RMCO (recovery movement control order).

"The people in these areas abide by the rules generally. They pay a huge price in order to help fight the virus,” Lau commented in a statement yesterday.

On Sunday, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that all schools and vocational colleges under the ministry will be closed from yesterday (November 9) until December 17 — the last day of the school year — as part of the efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.

On this, Lau remarked: "We just started to pick up and adjust to the new norm — physical distancing, wearing of face mask, regular hand washing and no big gathering. Those communities that have followed these new norms remain to have no or low cases. They have played their part.

"Now they are again adversely affected for a problem not of their creation and students are again at the losing end.”

Hence, it is disappointing to see that after more than half a year, the same decision to close all schools was made without taking into consideration factors such as the differences in areas that are badly affected and those that are not, he bemoaned.

Commenting further, he noted that most of the areas badly affected are cities or places with large population.

The smaller towns, kampungs and rural communities are in the clear, added Lau.

"Take for example, the central region of Sarawak (Sibu, Sarikei, Mukah and Kapit divisions) make up one-third of Sarawak land mass and is also equivalent to one-third of Malaya.

"This area is in the clear. Why should the schools be closed? It is good and well to say students and teachers can continue using e-learning when the reality on the ground shows that many of these areas have poor or non-existent Internet connectivity,” he pointed out.

Lau argued that such one-size-fits-all decision does not bode well in reducing the gap between the haves and have not; the urban and the rural communities.

While the urban children have the alternative of internet classes and support of much better facilities and infrastructure, the rural communities are left to pay the price for a problem which they contribute little to, he said.

He pointed out that Sibu and Kapit divisions are larger in size than Selangor, Perak, Melaka, Negri Sembilan and the FT of KL and Putrajaya put together.

"Imagine closing down all schools there when the situation there is fine but the East Coast states of Malaya or even the Borneo States have outbreaks?” he asked.

"I urge policy makers and administrators to review their decisions and take into consideration the factors mentioned above.

"I suggest that decision making of schools closure in Sarawak be delegated to the state. Sarawak is a huge territory and decision such as school opening or closing to fight the spread of the virus should be made at the state level,” suggested Lau. — Borneo Post Online