COVID-19: MOE to discuss need of closing schools in affected areas

The Education Ministry (MOE) through state education departments will hold discussions with all parties concerned about the need of closing schools in affected areas to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Senior Minister (Education) Dr. Radzi Jidin said at the state level, monitoring would be done through state education departments and district education offices (PPD).

"After the announcement of the implementation of inter-zone movement restrictions in Sarawak, on July 29, the state Disaster Management Committee with the consent of the MOE has decided to postpone the reopening of 213 schools in the districts of Kuching, Padawan and Samarahan, to Aug 17.

"However, for the preschool classes, Form Five and Upper Sixth, the school sessions at the three districts will continue as usual," he said.

He said this in reply to a question from Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) who wanted to know if the ministry plans to close schools in COVID-19 Red Zones such as in Kuching, Sarawak.

As for Kedah, Radzi said the state government had decided to place four sub-districts, namely Mukim Ah, Mukim Hosba, Mukim Binjal and Mukim Padang Serai under the Targeted Enhancement Movement Control Order starting Aug 2.

He said following that, the Kedah state Disaster Management Committee with the consent of MOE had decided to close four schools under the Kubang Pasu PPD and one school under the Padang Terap PPD from Aug 2 to 29.

Replying to a supplementary question from Teo on plans to close schools in Sabah which recorded two positive cases involving two pupils, Radzi said the matter would be assessed on a case-to-case basis.

"If there is a need to close the school, based on the advice from the Health Ministry and the National Security Council as well as the state government, we will discuss the matter.

"Each case is different, as in Sarawak, more than 200 schools are closed but in Kedah we close only five schools based on the existing cases and the risks and how to deal with them," he said.

-- BERNAMA