KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Is your school in a Covid-19 red zone, or having reported cases of Covid-19, or located in an area under an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) or conditional movement control order (CMCO)?
The Ministry of Education (MOE) today released separate lists of frequently asked questions for the public on schools falling under each of the three categories. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Closures
EMCO/CMCO areas — Institutions registered with MOE including kindergartens, fully residential schools, vocational colleges, Form Six colleges, matriculation colleges, Teacher Education Institutes (IPG) and private education institutions.
Red zones — Education Ministry to announce school closure. Further instructions to be issued by state registrar (for schools, education institutions including private institutions), rectors (for IPG), director of matriculation division (for matriculation colleges). Period of closure: 14 days. Reopening date depending on advice from National Security Council, Health Ministry.
School with reported Covid-19 positive case — Letters to order the school closure to be issued by the state registrar (for schools, education institutions including private institutions), rectors (for IPG), director of matriculation division (for matriculation colleges). Period of closure: Seven days.
2. Teachers/lecturers
For all three categories, teachers or lecturers are required to work from home, and required to be at their workstations and be always ready if ordered to attend for duty according to the department head.
Additionally, teachers or lecturers who live in EMCO/CMCO areas would have to be present at their schools or education institutions located outside the EMCO/CMCO areas, and will have to show either a work pass or a letter from the employer to show up for work, the MOE said.
3. Students
Students who live in EMCO/CMCO areas cannot be present at their schools or education institutions located outside the EMCO/CMCO areas.
4. Those to be present amid school closure
This information applies to schools in EMCO/CMCO areas, red zones, or with reported Covid-19 cases:
Essential services staff including cleaners, security guards. Hostel wardens, workers at hostel cafeteria if students remain at hostel.
5. Learning/teaching/examinations
The information below applies to schools in EMCO/CMCO areas, red zones, or where Covid-19 cases have been reported:
School administrators to ensure teachers or lecturers carry out teaching and learning activities at home according to their suitability and their students’ suitability, with the manual for such activities available at www.moe.gov.my.
Closed schools are allowed to postpone SPM trial exams, can key in trial exam results amid school closure as the system Sistem Analisis Peperiksaan Sekolah (Saps) is open until December 31.
This was not included in the FAQ for schools where Covid-19 cases have been reported, but was included for those in red zones or in EMCO/CMCO areas:
Schools are allowed to carry out international examinations supervised by international examination bodies during school closure, with standard operating procedures to be followed. Examination candidates also have to obtain a letter for permission to sit for the examinations from the school or institute as proof for verification.
6. Hostel management at schools/ education institutions
These apply to schools in EMCO/CMCO areas, in red zone areas, or schools closed due to reported Covid-19 cases:
Students who stay in hostels can return home upon school closure.
Students waiting for parents or guardians to pick them up or students who wish to remain at the hostel will be under the care of hostel wardens, with food and drinks of students during this period to be prepared by schools and education institutions.
Parents or guardians in EMCO/CMCO areas are allowed to pick up their children or wards at hostels, subject to the guidelines of school management and operations in the new normal.
7. Management and operations of teacher training institutes (IPG) and matriculation colleges
Fully online teaching and learning activities throughout the EMCO/CMCO period, or closure of institutions in red zones, or where the institution is closed due to reported Covid-19 cases.
Students who live in EMCO/CMCO areas are not required to return to their IPG/matriculation college after the end of the mid-semester break, but are instead required to return after the end of the EMCO/CMCO.
Students can remain at their residential colleges throughout the IPG/matriculation colleges’ closure due to its location at red zones or due to reported Covid-19 cases.
The cafeteria and sundry goods shop at closed IPG/ matriculation colleges—in EMCO/CMCO areas or red zones or where there was reported Covid-19 cases—will remain in operation.
The full FAQ can be downloaded here from the Education Ministry’s website:
I. Schools in EMCO/CMCO areas
https://www.moe.gov.my/soalan-lazim-menu/covid-19/faq-tutup-ip-pkpb-pkpd.
II. Schools in red zones
https://www.moe.gov.my/soalan-lazim-menu/covid-19/faq-tutup-sekolah-ip-di-zon-merah.
III. Schools with Covid-19 positive cases
https://www.moe.gov.my/soalan-lazim-menu/covid-19/faq-tutup-sekolah-ip-kes-positif-covid19.
