Govt to supply Covid-19 self-test kits to day, full boarding schools: Radzi

KUALA LUMPUR – The Education Ministry (MoE) will supply Covid-19 self-test kits to boarding schools and day schools under the ministry as part of preparations for the reopening of schools in stages according to the states’ phases in the National Recovery Plan (NRP), starting October 3.

Senior Education Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said saliva-based self-test kits will be supplied to all schools involved, and testing will be conducted before the students start the school session.

“Let’s say, boarding school students from Terengganu will start schooling in Kuala Lumpur, we will gather them at a hostel in Terengganu and run the test before they board the bus to the hostel,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Earlier, Radzi announced that Covid-19 screening using a self-test kit will be conducted on students who are returning to both day and full boarding schools.

For full boarders, screening tests will be conducted three times – during registration and on the sixth and 14th days after the fact.

For day boarders, a screening test will be implemented during registration.

Self-test kits will also be provided to day boarding schools to test students who show symptoms while at school.

Meanwhile, responding to allegations about the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of schools in Klang having to pay RM1,600 to the district education office for the student vaccination programme, Radzi said MoE has ordered that the directive be revoked.

He said that it was a misunderstanding, and it is not the MoE policy for PTAs to make any payment for the student vaccination programme.

Radzi also reported on the progress of vaccination of educational institution staffers as of September 20 – 90.5% of teachers, 85.8% of implementers (AKPs), and 79.2% of support staff have been fully vaccinated.

“Currently, 7.2% of teachers, 11.4% of AKPs and 15.1% of support service staff are waiting for their second doses,” he said. – Bernama, September 22, 2021