IPOH: A directive has been issued to campuses at teacher training institutes to temporarily halt all extreme and water activities following the recent drowning of two institute students in Kedah.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the move was to provide ease of mind to all parents while investigations are conducted.
An internal investigation would also be launched into claims that the families of the two victims were not informed of the incident, he said.
“Investiga-tion by the police is being carried out and we will leave it to them.
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“But we will also carry out an internal investigation,” Wong told a press conference after attending an event at SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun here yesterday.
Two students from the Teacher Training Institute Perlis campus – Christopher Ling Jia Siang, 21, from Kuching (right), and Joey Ling Lin Siang (left), 20, from Sibu – drowned while kayaking in Pantai Merdeka near Sungai Petani at about 7.30pm last Saturday.
On another matter, Wong said state Education Departments would have the prerogative to extend Home-Based Teaching and Learning (PdPR) if the heatwave continues.
He said all state and district education departments would follow a guideline set by the ministry in 2023 and could decide based on the current situation.
“If the temperature is over 37ºC for three consecutive days, the state department can make a decision on whether to implement PdPR.
“Decisions made will be based in accordance to the situation and weather forecast,” he added.
Schools in Kota Setar and Pendang switched to PdPR from March 29 to March 31 due to the heatwave.
There had been calls from parents in Kota Setar to extend the PdPR in view of the scorching weather.
