2.7 mln students nationwide begin face-to-face school sessions today

He said of the total, 2,674,104 comprise primary school pupils, while 30,853 more were Year 2, 3 and 4 Vocational College students, adding that secondary school students will continue with home-based teaching and learning (PdPR).

"In general, attendance is good at over 90 per cent. Although some children have not been vaccinated, parents are not unduly worried about their children attending classes," he told reporters after a visit to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Syed Idrus Kampung Kuang Hilir in Chemor, near here today.

Radzi said the Education Ministry (MOE) will monitor schools with a student population of over 600 before allowing attendance without rotation in line with the country entering into the transition to endemic phase beginning April 1.

"We can't wait for the vaccination rates (to go up) or set a certain (vaccination) rate before allowing attendance without rotation as the vaccination rate (for children) is still low, and that is why the new session will be monitored for a certain period," he said.

In another development, Radzi said the MOE was studying the reasons behind teachers opting for early retirement of late.

"We are going through the data and will study the factors, including causes, age of teachers and career years, that led to their decision to retire early," he said.

On Feb 17, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the state government has been receiving reports of teachers retiring early due to rising stress levels caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In MELAKA, the MOE contributed 338,092 COVID-19 self-test kits for primary and secondary school students for the purpose of daily random tests involving 10 percent of total students in each school.

State Education and Technology Committee chairman Datuk Rais Yasin said test kits were important as part of efforts to contain COVID-19.

On reports of classroom shortage in SK Paya Rumput, Rais said the state government was currently looking for solutions, including the possibility of constructing another school or adding another building to cope with the increase in student enrolment.