The closure of all educational facilities under MOE in Sarawak will be extended to May 10, said SDMC. – Bernama file photo
KUCHING (April 28): The closure of all educational institutions in Sarawak’s Covid-19 red zones have been extended to May 10, said Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) today.
In its daily Covid-19 update statement today, SDMC said this covers all educational institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE) and all categorised as private educational institutions registered under MOE including international schools.
According to the statement, those institutions closed are the same as those listed and announced on April 19 namely kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, polytechnics, public and private universities and tuition centres.
It explained a meeting held today between SDMC, MOE and the State Education Department agreed to extend the closure of the institutions, which started on April 20 and was supposed to end on May 3.
It also said the decision was in line with the announcement by Senior Minister of Education Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin on April 26 that school lessons will be held online for two weeks after the Hari Raya holidays — from May 17 to 28 — through home-based teaching and learning methods (PdPR).
The first day and second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls on May 13 and 14 respectively.
“During this (extended) period, the PdPR method will be continued as normal.
“As for The Form 6 students sitting for the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) Third Semester (Replacement) are allowed to be present at school until May 27,” it said.
It was earlier reported today that more than 1,000 schools in Sarawak’s Covid-19 red zones closed since April 20 will only reopen on June 14.
Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong told an online news portal this was decided by Radzi following an online meeting on Tuesday (April 27) which was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister and SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
According to Manyin, Radzi made the decision to let the schools remain shut as it would only be five schooling days before the schools start their Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays from May 8 to 16.
This will affect 372,433 students and 30,435 teachers in the closed 863 primary and 146 secondary schools in the state’s red zones.
The students were supposed to return to class on May 3 after the two-week closure order imposed by the Sarawak government to curb the spread of Covid-19 infections in schools in red zone districts.
Added with Radzi’s earlier announcement on Monday (April 26) that school lessons will be held online for two weeks after the Hari Raya holidays from May 17 to 28 and the mid-term holidays for two weeks starting on the next day (May 29), this means affected schools in the state’s red zones will stay closed until June 13.
On April 19, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg had announced that all schools in Sarawak’s Covid-19 red zones have been ordered to close for two weeks effective April 20.
Abang Johari explained he made the decision after studying reports that many Covid-19 cases have emerged in schools.
The post SDMC: Educational institution under MOE to close till May 10 appeared first on Borneo Post Online.