Deputy minister says announcement on reopening of schools may be out tomorrow

IPOH, June 9 — The federal government could announce tomorrow the schedule to reopen schools throughout the country, said Deputy Education Minister Muslimin Yahaya.

He said the matter will be decided in a meeting involving Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, the Health Ministry, and the National Security Council this afternoon.

“Today, there is an important meeting on this matter and if a decision is reached at the meeting, maybe we will announce tomorrow,” he told reporters after visiting SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun here.

However, he stressed that this would only affect secondary schools in the beginning, starting with students for key national examinations this year.

“This only involves around 398,446 students nationwide, including 347,177 SPM students, 45,596 STPM students, 2,935 SVM students and STAM 2,738 students,” he added.

He also said that the Education Ministry has already issued the standard operating procedures to all schools in order for them to make preparations.

The deputy minister explained that the SOPs were developed after conducting simulations at several schools in Putrajaya and Selangor.

“Based on that, we have found the advantages and disadvantages of reopening the schools and we have prepared suitable guidelines. The guidelines have been sent to the schools,” he said.

Muslimin said ministry and district education officials will help ensure schools comply with the SOPs, but said it was up to teachers to implement these.

He went on to say that more teachers will be needed when schools resume as classroom sizes will be restricted to maintain social distancing.

Schools nationwide were closed indefinitely as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia.

Yesterday, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that parents will be given two weeks’ notice before school reopens to allow them enough preparation time.

Dr Noor Hisham said this after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday announced that schools will reopen in stages throughout the recovery movement control order (RMCO) which will be in force from June 10 to August 31.