KUALA LUMPUR: After more than four months of ‘leave’ following the movement control order (MCO) which was enforced to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the re-opening of schools in the new normal yesterday went smoothly in accordance with the standard operating procedure.
The Forms One to Four students and Years Five and Six pupils, as well as those in the remove classes arrived at school wearing masks, had their body temperatures screened, and cleaned their hands with sanitiser liquid before entering the classrooms.
They looked dapper in their school uniforms yesterday, which on a usual Wednesday would have been Co-Curriculum Day, while their parents were only allowed to send them up to the school’s main entrance.
While happy to meet their friends again, the students obeyed their teachers and complied with the SOP, including maintaining social distancing. Although, some seemed awkward about having to sit apart from each other.
In Kelantan, Education Ministers Dr Radzi Jidin who visited Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Gajah, Tanah Merah, said the re-opening of schools yesterday went smoothly with all parties observing the SOP.
A Bernama look at the district found that most students wore masks while the schools recorded their attendance and checked their body temperatures before allowing them into the classrooms.
For the record, 84,237 Forms One to Four students and 56,478 Year Five and Six resumed schooling in Kelantan today.
Meanwhile, president of the Parents-Teachers Association of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dato’ Ahmad Maher, Prof Dr Wan Hazabbah Wan Hitam said the PTA members will work with the school management to ensure the SOP is observed in the school.
In Kuala Lumpur, a look at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJK) (C) Chong Hwa, Setapak, found passages marked with stickers to remind students and teachers to maintain social distancing while the 219 students also had their body temperatures screened twice.
The school used temperature and face scanners to record the data before students are allowed into the classrooms to ensure that they were healthy.
Besides the Forms One to Four students and those from remove classes as well as Years Five and Six pupils who went back to school yesterday, Radzi had previously announced that schools would be re-opened for pupils in Years One to Four on July 22.
Meanwhile in Perak, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Jelapang headmaster, Noor Azman Zainal Abidin said the department ensured that all the 368 students observed the SOP and went through two infrared thermoscans placed at the school entrance.
In Penang, state education director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad said all 399 primary and secondary schools here opted for the single-session and two-session school models.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Perlis education committee, Rozieana Ahmad said 42,873 went back to school, comprising 19,135 secondary schoolchildren and 23,738 primary school pupils from 104 schools.
In Selangor, a look at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seksyen 6 found that most students were excited about meeting their friends again and were happy to study together.
Shah Alam District Police Chief, ACP Baharudin Mat Taib who took a look at the school compliance with the SOP, said he was satisfied with the steps taken by the school.
In Kedah, chairman of the Religion, Education and Human Resource Committee, Datuk Najmi Ahmad said 195,929 pupils of Sekolah Rendah Agama Rakyat and Sekolah Menengah Agama Rakyat under the Kedah Islamic Affairs Department as well as religious educational institutions which were not registered with the department also resumed schooling today.
In Johor, Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad who visited Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Uda 2, said students of 14 of the 15 schools which were temporary evacuation centres for flood victims in Muar, Tangkak, Batu Pahat and Pontian, also resumed schooling yesterday.
In Melaka, Education, Higher Education, Technical and Vocational, Science and Innovations Committee chairman in the Chief Minister’s Office, Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad said 80,071 primary and secondary school students resumed schooling.
In Pahang, state education director Zaimi Abu Bakar said two schools in Lipis – Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Chegar Perah and SK Aur Gading — were not opened yesterday due to floods, while 44,038 Year Five and Six pupils, and 89,600 of the total 94,041 secondary school students resumed schooling today.
“SK Chegar Perah which has 83 students and 12 teachers is currently a temporary evacuation centre while SK Aur Gading was closed because the road leading to it was flooded, and is expected to be opened tomorrow,” he said, yesterday.
In Sabah, state education director Dr Mistirine Radin said 368,875 students from 1,294 primary and secondary schools in the state resumed schooling today. – Bernama
