Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii
KUCHING (Aug 17): The Ministry of Education (MOE) is urged to come up with a clear and comprehensive plan leading up to the resumption of physical lessons at schools nationwide on October 3.
Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii said the contingency plans also need to be laid out to mitigate any possible Covid-19 outbreaks in schools, pointing out these should be done to ensure a safe environment for teachers and students.
He made these comments following a Facebook post by Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin who announced Sunday that the reopening of schools nationwide would be done in stages starting Oct 3.
“I really hope Oct 3 is not just a random date chosen by the minister, but they have clear plans leading up to this date on what must be done to ensure and allay concerns of parents that it is safe to send children to school and help them catch up with their studies that they have missed out for almost 1.5 years,” he added.
Yii expressed concern that without an alternative plan, the ministry would just continue to close schools which would have big impact not just on the students, but the whole school ecosystem including the canteen operators, bus school operators and others.
That is why, he added, this issue must be dealt with greater urgency as these students which he deemed as ‘lost generations’ could not afford to lose any more months on their studies, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic is still raging.
“All plans that are put in place must be based on data and science, on the guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). MOE must have a clear, comprehensive and strategic plan, convincing and relevant to the schools’ opening and closing guidelines, developed jointly with health experts from WHO, Unesco, Unicef, Health Ministry, and healthcare experts.
“These transparent plans and standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be presented to the people to prepare them and transition in the new normal. Important parameters including vaccination coverage among all teachers, staff, canteen operators, bus drivers and even students must be sufficient,” he added.
On top of that, he said the government must subsidise self-testing kits and make it a norm even in schools where students and teachers test frequently before proceeding with classes to reduce risk of an outbreak in the school.
He asserted that schools must be open progressively based on risk assessment and preparedness of the schools to adhere to all necessary SOPs, adding that the ministry must avoid making decisions based on the ‘one-size-fits-all’ method and give autonomy to the district level education office and the parents to make best decisions for their children.
“The government has so far wasted all this time without coming out with a comprehensive plan on how to open schools safely and sustainably. We must not waste any more time anymore as this is important for the future and education of our children,” he added.