KUALA LUMPUR – The Education Ministry’s decision to reopen schools for face-to-face lessons next month and in April has drawn the ire of Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who called it a burden for parents and students.
In a statement today, he said parents have only just gone through a lot of difficulties in securing devices to facilitate their children’s online classes.
Calling it a flip-flop decision, he said this will be a major burden for lower income and large families.
He highlighted that the recently launched terrestrial education DidikTV and the decision to reopen schools are sending confusing messages to the people on the ministry’s digital education policy.
He said the ministry should strengthen digital learning as Malaysia has yet to fully recover from the pandemic.
“Take into account the possibilities and our capability to handle the scope of the pandemic before reopening schools.”
Yesterday, Education Minister Datuk Mohd Radzi Md Jidin had announced that schools would reopen in stages starting next month.
Classes for preschool, and Standard 1 and 2 will resume on March 1 while classes for Standard 3 to 6 will start on March 8.
Radzi added that secondary schools in Group A (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu) will reopen on April 4 while those in Group B (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor) will start a day after.
Private primary and secondary schools will reopen on the same dates as public schools while international schools, private tertiary institutions and tuition centres will reopen from March 8.
Students of vocational colleges can start attending classes on campus beginning March 1. – The Vibes, February 20, 2021
