KUALA LUMPUR – The Education Ministry must clarify if schools in areas under the movement restrictions will be immediately closed or remain open until the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays, said Pakatan Harapan, ahead of the start to the movement control order (MCO) in Selangor tomorrow.
A swift decision must be made by the ministry, seeing as some schools are holding their mid-term examinations, added the coalition’s education committee in a statement today.
“If the closure announcement is made soon, schools are able to reschedule the exams while parents need to make the necessary childcare arrangements.”
PH also questioned the SOPs for boarding students to leave for home.
“Will parents picking up their children from boarding schools be given approval for interstate and inter-district travel?”
The coalition then advised the government to allow schools to issue letters allowing parents to pick up their children as this will bypass the need for police permits, which takes longer to acquire.
Yesterday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced the imposition of the MCO on six of Selangor’s nine districts from tomorrow to May 17.
The areas are Hulu Langat, Petaling, Gombak, Klang, Kuala Langat and Sepang. The other three districts – Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor – remain under the CMCO.
Five districts in Kedah are also put under MCO since May 1.
“Inter-district travel is barred except for emergencies or deaths.”
However, the Higher Education Ministry had last week announced that all tertiary students, except those in Sarawak, will be allowed to travel across state borders to return to their homes from May 7 to 12, and back to campus from May 15 to 20.
It said several control mechanisms will be put in place to ensure movement is monitored, including travelling in phases, and learning institutions must prepare exemption letters for their students and coordinate travel dates.
Students are allowed to use only three modes of transport – their own vehicles, their parents’ or guardians’ vehicles or buses coordinated by the institutions – with more than 100,000 individuals expected to be involved in the exodus. – The Vibes, May 5, 2021
