KUCHING: Sarawak will allow an additional 231 primary schools to reopen on Monday (March 8) after a risk assessment of the Covid-19 situation in the state.
The state disaster management committee said this meant a total of 1,045 primary schools in the state would have students back for face-to-face classes, compared to the 814 schools, which reopened on March 1.
However, the committee said another 220 schools in high-risk areas were to remain closed until March 14.
"This decision was made following a discussion between the committee and the state Education Department. It takes into account the Education Ministry's updated guidelines for school management and operations under the new normal," the committee said in a statement on Friday (March 5).
The schools, which will only reopen on March 15, comprise two in Kuching, six in Padawan, 93 in Sibu, 32 each in Kanowit and Meradong, 33 in Miri, one in Kapit, 18 in Bintulu and three in Betong.
On Feb 19, Education Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that preschool, Year One and Year Two pupils would return to school on March 1 and Years Three to Six pupils on March 8.
He also said secondary school students in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu would return on April 4 while students in other states would return on April 5.
However, the state disaster management committee decided on Feb 26 that the reopening of schools in Sarawak's red zones would be postponed to March 15, affecting schools in Kuching, Samarahan, Julau, Meradong, Sibu, Kapit, Bintulu, Subis and Miri.
Meanwhile, the committee said Sarawak reported 250 new Covid-19 cases on Friday (March 5), taking the state's tally to 10,674.
Sibu recorded the highest number of cases with 123, followed by Meradong (36), Bintulu (21), Kuching and Kapit (17 each), Miri (14), Julau (seven), Serian (four), Daro (three), Asajaya, Samarahan and Selangau (two each) and Dalat and Sri Aman (one each).
