School's out for this year, but classes on

 

All learning institutions under the Education Ministry will be closed for the rest of the year and only reopen on Jan 20.

This includes the states of Perlis, Pahang, Sarawak and Kelantan which are not affected by the conditional movement control order (MCO).

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said schools are expected to facilitate home-based or online learning to compensate for in-person classes.

The SPM examination will be postponed again to Feb 22, from Jan 6 previously.

Similarly, Semester 3 STPM examinations will begin on March 8. It was previously scheduled to begin on March 1.

"To assist the candidates to prepare for their examinations, the Education Ministry decided that they would return to school for face-to-face learning starting Jan 20, 2021.

"We hope that the opportunity would benefit the candidates who are affected by the closure of schools," Radzi said in a press conference this morning.

New details for the examinations would be announced soon.

Radzi said that a new date will also be set for SPM trial examination, course work submission and the evaluation process.

The minister said that the postponement of examination dates would not affect the admission of students into public tertiary education institutions and higher learning institutions through the UPU Online system.

Form 2 and Form 3 students to return in March

According to the minister, the starting date for the new school session for 2021 will remain on Jan 20.

However, this will exclude Form 2 and Form 3 secondary school students who will continue with home-based learning.

"They will return to school for face-to-face learning session starting March 8, 2021," he said.

With the decision, parents or guardians of boarding school students would have to bring them home.

Those who have to travel interstate to pick up the students can request official letters from their schools.

Radzi added that all students are allowed to stay at their hostels under the care of hostel warden until their parents or guardians arrive. Schools will be responsible to continue providing meals to them during that time. 

On the admission of students into specialised schools including boarding schools, Islamic secondary school, vocational college and the royal military college, he said that the evaluation processes are also postponed until further notice. - Mkini