Matriculation colleges to open in August, teacher education institutes in September

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said it involved 30,000 students in 15 campuses while for IPGs it involved 5,000 new trainee teachers and 8,000 existing trainee teachers.

“The learning process for matriculation students will start a week after the registration session,” he told a press conference on the development of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), today.

The Special Ministerial Meeting on the Implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has examined and agreed with the proposal by the Education Ministry regarding the reopening of the two educational institutions, he said.

However, it is subject to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines agreed upon including social distancing and safety as well as observing good hygienic practices.

Asked whether the government planned to implement the MCO or Administrative MCO in Napoh, Kedah following the increase in COVID-19 cases involving the Sivagangga cluster, Ismail Sabri said the government was monitoring the matter in detail.

He said as of today, the closure of kindergartens and childcare centres (nurseries) had been carried out so that children are not exposed to the possibility of being infected.

However, he said, if there is another large-scale outbreak, the Health Ministry will immediately discuss with the National Security Council (NSC) for further action to be taken, including closure of certain localities or areas.

It was reported yesterday that 73 kindergartens and three nurseries of the Community Development Department (Kemas) in the Kubang Pasu parliamentary constituency were closed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

On whether the government would consider the closure of primary schools following a second-year student in Inanam, Kota Kinabalu, who tested positive for COVID-19, Ismail Sabri said the Education Ministry was looking into the matter and would make a decision in the near future.

He said the decision to be announced would be whether or not to allow students in years one, two and three to go to school or just allow students taking examinations to go to school.

On the Compliance Operations Task Force, Ismail Sabri said the police have arrested 213 individuals for violating the directives of the RMCO yesterday, and out of that number, 22 have been remanded, 18 were released on bail and 173 were issued compounds.

Meanwhile, he said the police had also set up 62 roadblocks yesterday under ‘Ops Benteng’ and detained five foreigners for immigration offences.