Standardise teaching hours for physical classes, PdPR sessions - NUTP

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has proposed that the timetable for students attending physical classes and those going through home-based Teaching and Learning (PdPR), be standardised for all schools nationwide.

Secretary-general Harry Tan Huat Hock said this was important in ensuring quality of PdP as teachers and students could lose focus and get tired if the sessions were too long.

"The NUTP found that there are schools that require teachers to teach from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm which exceeds the official teaching hours which should end at 2.30 pm.

"The long hours in school can be exhausting, making the students lose interest in preparing for the coming SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) and STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia) and the same goes to teachers who have earlier been working hard preparing and teaching the students via online classes," he said in a statement today.

He added that it is feared that the health of teachers and students may be affected as the long hours in class would deprive them of leisure activities which are needed to help strengthen the body's immunity during the Movement Control Order (MCO).

Meanwhile, Tan also called on the Education Ministry (MOE) to review the safety aspects of teachers who are currently conducting face-to-face learning sessions for students sitting for the major examinations.

He said, the MOE should provide the teachers with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and overcoats, in accordance with set standard operating procedures.

Tan also urged the relevant parties to be more sensitive to the COVID-19 situation and to refrain from organising activities that could expose people to risk of infection

-- BERNAMA