Reopening of schools to avoid students getting detached from the system - Radzi

PUTRAJAYA: The reopening of schools in stages from Oct 3, despite the high number of COVID-19 infections, aimed at preventing students from detaching further from the school system, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Jidin.

Admitting that the decision was not an easy one, he said schools would reopen in stages according to the phases of states under the National Recovery Plan (PPN), with several approaches to curb the spread of COVID-19.

He said the students had long been detached from the school system due to closures since last May due to the pandemic, and the decision to reopen schools was made after holding many engagement sessions with various parties including the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council.

"In the context of face-to-face school classes, we realise that many out there who want schools to remain close and reopen next year, but the fact is that we are moving in the PPN phases where we need to bring life back to normal by embracing the new normal and adhering to the procedures.

"A total of five million students come from various backgrounds, some live in the city, some in the interior, some live in the suburbs and they come from different socio-economic backgrounds," he told a press conference on the reopening of schools today.

Radzi said the ministry was confident that with all the engagements and discussions, the framework that it presented, although not perfect, was the best in the context of PPN, including education.

-- BERNAMA