MIRI – The reopening of 1,045 primary schools in Sarawak have caught parents off guard as they are concerned about sending their children back to classes on Monday.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii called the move by state Disaster Management Committee and Education Department “hasty”.
He said the Education Department should give students and their parents the choice of whether they want to return to school.
Those uncomfortable with the idea of physical classes at this time should be allowed to inform their schools of their choice, he said.
The committee yesterday announced that as many as 1,045 government and government-aided primary schools will reopen for classes in Sarawak starting Monday.
It added that the decision was made in consultation with the Education Department and Health Department.
However, Yii in a statement said: “Sarawak is still in the midst of experiencing serious levels of Covid-19 infections, shown in the daily infection numbers.”
“Under such circumstances, is it wise to reopen so many schools at a time? What risk-assessment was carried out by state and education authorities? Can they give assurance that the reopening will not pose dangers of widespread infection and outbreaks?
“The parents and public are worried about this abrupt flip-flop decision from state authorities.”
In yesterday’s announcement, state authorities said 220 schools in high-risk infection zones will reopen starting March 14 and the public can check for details in the committee's websites.
The secretariat said the decision to reopen schools is in view of the current situation, and students and parents as well as teachers are reminded to adhere to the standard operating procedures in place.
The coronavirus death toll in Sarawak remains at 84, but 250 new cases were recorded yesterday.
There are 25 active Covid-19 clusters statewide, and about 1,100 cases cumulatively. – The Vibes, March 6, 2021
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