(Picture for representational purposes only). Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2020 (SPM 2020) candidates reciting a prayer before entering the examination hall to take their Bahasa Melayu Paper 1 examination at Sekolah Menengah Setiabudi, Gombak, Kuala Lumpur. PIX: HAFIZ SOHAIMI / MalaysiaGazette / 22 FEBRUARY 2021.

By Mohd Zaini Samsu Hadi

KUALA LUMPUR – The Ministry of Education (MOE) is urged to only reopen school session for students who will be sitting for major examinations at the secondary schools only on 3 October.

Dr Anuar Ahmad, a lecturer from the Centre of Community Education and Wellbeing of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said that only Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) candidates should be allowed to go back to physical school.

The Lecturer also said that the recommendation should be applied to all schools regardless of their phases in the National Recovery Plan (PPN) as there is no huge differences among the phases currently.

However, he said that all students need to fulfil conditions such as completing two doses of vaccine and have passed the 14 days period after their second dose.

“All teachers who teach examination year, school office staff, canteen workers, school security guards and bus drivers must complete two doses of vaccine and passed 14 days of their second vaccination, including the family members and parents living under the same roof with the students of the examination year,” he said in a statement today.

In addition, the MOE, must also present their latest school reopening standard operating procedures (SOP) to the people, which encompasses the family SOP, travelling to and from school SOP and SOP within the school compound. They must be presented in a clear and easy to understand manner.

He said, non-examination year students may continue their studies through home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) until the end of the year, or until the new Covid-19 daily cases reduce to an acceptable, safe and controlled figure.

In addition, teachers who refuse to be vaccinated can be ordered to deliver their teaching via PdPR to non-examination year students. –MalaysiaGazette