Reopening of schools is safe, parents need not worry

KUALA LUMPUR: The opening of schools nationwide, beginning tomorrow, after being closed for a long time, will create a safe environment and capable of restoring the students' spirit, National Union of Teaching Professions of Malaysia (NUTP) secretary-general Wang Heng Suan.

This, he said, was based on the 120-page document on Guidelines for School Management and Operation 3.0 by the Ministry of Education (MOE) which focuses on cleanliness of the school compound.

The guideline emphasises on the ventilation aspects in classes and the wearing of face masks for all school staff to ensure optimum safety in school compounds.

"These include for surfaces that are often touched must always be sanitised, path for students to move about, break time and several other daily safety measures, like temperature screening of students, wearing of face mask and observing physical distancing," he told Bernama.

He said NUTP was confident that the opening of schools in stages was also part of the MOE's way of identifying situations and circumstances in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Schools will re-open in stages beginning tomorrow, especially for students who will sit for examinations and it involves certain groups of students in states that are in phase two and above of the National Recovery Plan.

The reopening of school sessions will use a weekly student rotation method with the weekly attendance set at 50 per cent capacity of classes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Wang said hoped all school administrators and teachers would follow the guidelines provided to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) .

The guidelines provide complete information and measures that need to be taken to ensure the safety of students, including for school administrators to set up a COVID-19 Committee at the school level, he added.

The guidelines also contain information for teachers or school staff who do not wish to receive the vaccine, whereby they are not allowed to be in the same space as those who have completed the vaccination.

Thus, only teachers and staff who have been vaccinated will be in school and this will create a safer school environment for the students, he added.

As of last Sept 11, a total of 97.5 per cent of teachers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Anggota Kumpulan Pelaksana (97 per cent) and School Liaison Officers (90.6 per cent).

Meanwhile, National Parents and Teachers Association (PIBGN) president Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Ali Hasan said with preparations made to ensure a clean school environment and having majority of teachers and students who have been vaccinated going to school will make the school safer.

He said the guidelines by the MOE covered everything concerning the school management, especially during the pandemic and endemic situation.

"It will certainly make the school safe and able to bring back the cheerfulness and enthusiasm of the students to continue to study," he added.

-- BERNAMA