IPOH: Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah has consented to the reopening of maahad tahfiz (quran memorisation schools) statewide, subject to maximum health protection for students, on March 1.

Perak Islamic Religious Department and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Annuar Zaini said Sultan Nazrin Shah gave the consent after obtaining input from the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council (MKN) of Perak.

He said Sultan Nazrin had ordered that the maahad tahfiz students must always be given full protection and not be exposed to health safety risks.

He said the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) director has been given the power to shut down any maahad tahfiz which failed to comply with the stipulated conditions.

‘’His Highness stresses that MAIPk will never ever compromise when deciding on health and safety compliance matters involving tahfiz schools,’’ he said in a statement today.

He said eating in a group using a common large food tray (talam) was not allowed and every student had to use his own set of foot utensils.

Meanwhile, he said suppliers of canteen and hostel goods and school equipment were not allowed into the school area.

Mohd Annuar said all tahfiz school personnel must be locals and permanent residents while the management must check to ensure they stayed in houses and surroundings conducive to health.

He said it was mandatory for the management to sanitise school and hostel premises that met the standards of the Health Department or the related authorities before students were allowed in.

He said the maximum number of students allowed was limited to the capacity of the schools and hostels and physical distancing must be adhered to in the study, memorisation, prayer and hostel areas.

‘’Parents or guardians are allowed to send the students only until the gate and to minimise exposure and risks, and they are also not allowed to conduct any visits to the students for a while.

‘’The management must schedule the registration of the students for a longer period of time to ensure compliance with physical distancing and to minimise the occurrence of congestion.

‘’The parents or guardian are advised to turn up in stages following the schedule,’’ he said.

Mohd Annuar said it was mandatory to sanitise all the students’ baggage brought from home or outside before they were taken into the schools.

He said JAIPk, on the advice of the Health Department, would introduce the control and monitoring mechanisms to minimise infection in these schools. 

-- BERNAMA