KUCHING: Although the wearing of face masks is not compulsory for students in schools, there is no harm in making it so instead of optional.
A housewife, Nor Azizah Abdullah, 30, believes that wearing face masks is very important to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 and other diseases.
“We do not know the health condition of every student. He or she might appear healthy at home before going to school but he/she might be a carrier of the disease when sneezing or coughing.
“However, if the student wears a mask, at least the disease transmission can be prevented or minimised,” she told New Sarawak Tribune recently.
She further said that when wearing face masks was optional, it would give more burden to teachers as they have to be alert at all times at school.
“Teachers cannot monitor every student. Not wearing masks is too risky. To depend on the students to voluntarily wash their hands or use hand sanitisers is already difficult. It is impossible to stop them from sneezing or coming into physical contact with each other,” she said.
Another housewife, Elisabeth Kasie, 26, said she would still make it compulsory for her children to wear face masks at school even when they are healthy.
“The school is a crowded place. Therefore, the chances of virus transmission among the students are high. That is why we should wear face masks all the time,” she said.
She also recommended that schools provide face masks, hand sanitisers and screen students and school staff.
New Sarawak Tribune also contacted several teachers to get their comments on the matter.
Syahrizan Ramlee, 26, said his school will definitely provide soap and constantly conduct temperature checks as preventive measures, but he also believed that wearing face masks should be required.
“We do not know whether we are the virus carrier or not. We may be healthy as we are asymptomatic, but those who are not can actually catch the virus from us.
“We should all wear face masks and stay clean at all times,” he stressed.
Another teacher, Muhd Afiq Muhd Said, 26, said face masks should be worn when in public as a responsibility and care for the safety of the whole community as the Covid-19 crisis has yet to end.
“If the government has already announced that wearing face masks is optional, it is up to us — teachers and parents — to always remind the students to care for their own safety.
“We should nurture the habit of wearing face masks, social distancing and washing hands,” he said.
Last Friday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the wearing of face masks was not compulsory for students.
He also said schools are only required to provide face masks if there are students or staff members who showed symptoms at school.
“As stipulated under the Education Ministry (MOE) guidelines, schools only need to provide soap or hand sanitisers and conduct screening for symptoms and body temperature,” he said in a statement.
