Teo Nie Ching
KUCHING (Feb 28): Former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching is asking the Ministry of Education (MoE) to explain why it is safe for schools in Covid-19 red zones in other parts of Malaysia to reopen from tomorrow while their counterparts in Sarawak remain closed until Mar 14 for safety reasons.
The Kulai MP was referring to the State Disaster Management Committee’s (SDMC) decision – that schools in Covid-19 red zones in Sarawak would reopen only Mar 15 – following discussions with the state Health Department and MoE.
“MoE should therefore explain to the teachers and parents in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. If MoE thinks that schools are unsafe to open for red zones in Sarawak, why is it safe for us in the other parts of Malaysia?” asked the Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker in a statement today.
Teo, who is national DAP international secretary, said Sarawak on Feb 27 recorded 255 new cases.
She added Johor recorded 314 cases, Selangor reported 862 cases, Perak had 305 cases and Kuala Lumpur 117 cases on the same day.
“The total number of active cases in Sarawak as at Saturday was 2,397 cases while Johor’s stood at 2,734 cases, Selangor (3,002 cases), Perak (3,626 cases) and Kuala Lumpur (2,911 cases).”
She further pointed out that Sarawak is presently under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) while Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang are still under Movement Control Order (MCO).
She thus wondered if these were indicators that the Covid-19 situations in states such as Selangor and Johor were also very critical.
“So what are the factors being used to decide that schools in Sarawak red zones stay closed until Mar 14 while the schools in other states red zones can reopen?
“What are the measuring indicators employed to arrive at a scientific and logical conclusion that it is indeed safe to reopen schools?” further asked Teo.
She said the MoE should convince all Malaysians that its decisions were made professionally, backed by proof and proper analysis.
“And they have given equal considerations for the kids in red zones outside Sarawak,” she added.
SDMC in a statement on Friday announced that schools in Covid-19 red zones in Sarawak would remain closed until Mar 14.
Nine districts in the state were classified as Covid-19 red zones at the time the statement was issued.
They are Kuching, Samarahan, Julau, Meradong, Sibu, Kapit, Bintulu, Subis and Miri.
On Feb 19, Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that preschoolers, Year 1 and 2 students would return to school on Mar 1, and Year 3 to 6 students on Mar 8.
He added that secondary school students in Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah would resume classes on Apr 4 and the remaining states on Apr 5.
The post Teo to MoE: Explain why it’s safe for schools in Covid-19 red zones in other parts of M’sia to reopen while their counterparts in S’wak remain closed appeared first on Borneo Post Online.