SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan government wants the Education Ministry to defer the reopening of schools to Jan 26 or beyond, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
He said it was pointless to reopen schools on Jan 20 when the movement control order and the conditional MCO were in force until Jan 26.
Negri Sembilan is under the conditional MCO.
“Since the MCO has been extended to Jan 26, it is best that the reopening of schools is also deferred.
“We in the state exco are worried that if schools are allowed to reopen on Jan 20, it will defeat the purpose of the MCO or conditional MCO as parents will still be sending or fetching their children, ” he told reporters after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Negri.
Aminuddin said if need be, schools could be reopened in early February for face-to-face learning.
“For now, we must be fully committed to fighting Covid-19, ” he said.
The MCO has been reimposed in Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Sabah and the Federal Territories from Jan 13 to 26.
Other states under the conditional MCO are Pahang, Perak, Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan and three zones in Sarawak (Kuching, Sibu and Miri).
The rest of Sarawak and Perlis are placed under the recovery MCO.
Students in all states sitting for exams for 2020 and 2021 will be allowed to return to school for lessons beginning Jan 20.
In conditional and recovery MCO states, Forms One and Four students will return for face-to-face lessons on Jan 20, while Forms Two and Three students will continue home-based learning until March 7.
Educational institutions registered under the ministry, including primary schools and private schools, in conditional MCO and recovery MCO states will operate according to their respective academic calendars.
Separately, Aminuddin said only committee members of Hindu temples would be allowed to celebrate Thaipusam at their respective places of worship on Jan 28.
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