NUTP suggests self-testing for Covid-19 instead of screening in schools

KUALA LUMPUR – The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) is objecting to the implementation of Covid-19 screening for primary school students every Wednesday, which began yesterday.

Instead, NUTP secretary-general Wang Heng Suan suggested that parents help students take Covid-19 self-tests at home, and that parents of students selected to undergo the test should be informed beforehand and be supplied with test kits.

“The parents can then submit the test results by sending images of the results to the respective class teachers,” he said in a statement today.

He added that this was after NUTP had received complaints from teachers informing them that asking teachers to conduct RTK-Ag Covid-19 tests for primary school students is dangerous and puts teachers at risk.

“This is because the teachers are not given any protective gear such as personal protective equipment, gloves, and face shields, among others, when conducting the screenings. The pupils are also unable to do the test themselves,” he said.

“The students should be allowed to attend school on the day if their results are negative, and quarantine at home if otherwise,” he explained.

Wang said this method would help prevent Covid-19 transmission to teachers and school staff in the event pupils test positive.

He said NUTP hoped that the Education Ministry would reconsider the standard operating procedures for the sake of students, teachers and school staff’s safety and health.

The Education Ministry on November 27 said primary school students will undergo mandatory Covid-19 screening on a rotational basis every Wednesday in line with the National Covid-19 Testing Strategy set by the Health Ministry.

The Education Ministry said the rotational screening must be implemented every Wednesday, which is a school day.

The ministry has supplied Covid-19 self-test kits to its primary schools to ensure screening can be implemented according to the Covid-19 self-test procedures in the Guidelines for School Management and Operation 3.0. – Bernama, December 2, 2021