PETALING JAYA: PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the education ministry can decide whether to close schools on its own.
“We have agreed for the education ministry to issue orders to close schools if teachers or students are found to be Covid-19-positive without waiting for the health ministry’s risk assessment,” he said after chairing the National Security Council meeting.
This comes amid the closure of some schools after reporting Covid-19 cases.
Meanwhile, parents should exercise their discretion in deciding whether they should risk sending their children to school or keep them home amid the rising positive Covid-19 cases among pupils.
Parent Action Group for Education (Page) Malaysia Chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said parental judgment was important.
“If a parent feels that their child is in danger, take heed and act on it. Parents do not need to wait for bureaucrats to make decisions for them if the life of their child may be at stake.
“If pupils do not attend schools during this new wave, the Education Ministry may well have to close these schools.
“In the meantime, lesson plans have been written and therefore can be given by teachers to students for reference.
“Parents will have to ensure that their children are disciplined enough to follow through,” she told the New Straits Times.
Noor Azimah was commenting on the concern of parents who were undecided if their children should be in school, including SK Bangsar, after two pupils were confirmed to have been infected by Covid-19.
In SK Bangsar, two female pupils in Year Five and Year Four, were believed to have been infected by their relatives who had attended a “kenduri” recently.
Asked if the ministry should seek help from its Health Ministry counterparts to assist in conducting screenings among school children, Noor Azimah opined that it was impractical.
“Screening is an expensive affair and will not be viable. It is better to take precautions and stay at home,” she said.
Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) Secretary-General Harry Tan said it was up to the parents to assess if their children attend school or not.
“That is their prerogative. The only thing is they must inform the schools in writing if their children do not go to school. This is to avoid their names from being struck off the school roll,” he said, adding that there has been a decline in school attendance due to the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Tan said whether or not a school with positive Covid-19 cases should be closed or remain open must be reviewed on a case by case basis by the relevant authorities.
He said it was only right to let the authorities study the safety of the school children and the degree of infection caused.
“We believe the authorities have our safety as their priority. Our country is ‘at war’ yet at the same time, we do not want the country to collapse economically, therefore a good balance must be achieved.
“Allow the authorities to do their job because they have the facts and figures. If they are wrong, then the public will voice their concern.
“However, they have done a good job in trying to contain the problem and allay the fears of everyone at the same time,” he added.
Tan said that they were in agreement with the Education Ministry for schools in safe areas to remain open with strict adherence to the standard operating procedures.
Tan also felt that the Education Ministry should be proactively updating the public on the developments in schools to allay the fears of parents and school-goers.
“The ministry must play a more prominent role in disseminating information.”
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