BUTTERWORTH – SMK St. Mark has, again, been ordered to shutter by the district Education Department early this morning, after a Covid-19 case was detected at its premises.
The department handed down the two-day closure directive from today after a Form 5 student from Bagan Lalang tested positive for Covid-19.
The father of a Form 3 student from Permatang Sintok was also confirmed positive and has been admitted to Kepala Batas Hospital.
The department instructed the school to close completely, with teachers and students ordered to not visit the institution during the period.
Form 5 students were alerted at 1am, while teachers, parents and other students were alerted early this morning.
The department later informed the school that online classes will continue from May 17 to 28, after the Hari Raya holidays.
There will be no online classes during mid-term school holidays from May 29 to June 13, it added.
On April 26, SMK St. Mark was ordered to shutter after four students were listed as Covid-19 close contacts.
The students were believed to be in close contact with infected students of a tuition centre here.
The state Health Department has instructed teachers and students of the centre to undergo swab tests.
SMK St Mark is the latest to shutter, after 20 other schools in the state were given the same directive today following the emergence of Covid-19 cases on their premises.
Penang Education Department director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad said both primary and secondary schools are involved.
Penang recorded 167 new Covid-19 cases today. – The Vibes, May 4, 2021
