Guidelines for schools and IPT for 2021: All you need to know

THE 2021 school session scheduled to begin on January 20th will continue as planned despite several states being under Movement Control Order (MCO), the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).

Here’s what you should know:

• According to Senior Minister of Education, Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, only students who are sitting for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM), Malaysian Vocational Diploma  (DVM) and International Examination, would be allowed face-to-face learning.
• All primary school students as well as Form 1 to Form 4 students in the MCO area will apply the Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) method starting January 20th.
• Students of Vocational College Semester Two Malaysian Vocational Certificate (SVM) and Malaysian Vocational Diploma (DVM) in 2020 will also follow home learning.
• Boarding school students and day school hostels students who will sit for the examination, will be allowed to return to their hostels beginning January 16th.
• A special permission letter will be issued by the school to enable students to cross the state or district to return to the hostel.

Operations for Higher education institutions (IPT) will also proceed as planned according to the Higher Education Ministry.

• International students are allowed to return to their campus except those from the United Kingdom (UK) as early as 1st January 2021, whereas for local students as early as 1st March 2021.
• Students who have been on campus should remain on their respective campuses and follow hybrid learning.
• All other students would continue their study programmes online until the end of the MCO.
• International assessments and professional body examinations will also continue to be conducted at campuses.
• Students with special needs such as those undergoing clinical training, professional examinations, internships as well as those needing access to laboratories, studios, and internet access are allowed to be on campus.
• All research activities involving laboratory facilities are allowed with the permission from department heads and in accordance with strict standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Students could also obtain a letter from their respective IPTs to apply for permission for inter-district or inter-state travel to return to campus.