Schools gear up for new normal

KAJANG: Temperature screening before entering the school compound and eating in the classroom during recess time are among new normal practices that students need to adapt to when schools reopen.

Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the guidelines stipulated that teachers would have to carry out body temperature checks when the students entered the school compound and if they showed any symptoms, then further action would be taken.

“We are also aware that some students walk or cycle to school and the temperature would be slightly above 37.5ºC ... so these students will be asked to rest first to ensure that their body temperature returns to normal before it is checked again.

“Each school will have an isolation room. If the student shows any symptoms, they will be brought here and the school, besides contacting the parents, will also contact the nearest health centre for further action,” he said after a visit to see the preparations for schools reopening at SMK Engku Husain, Semenyih here recently.

Also present were Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, National Security Council (MKN) director-general Mohd Rabin Basir and Education director-general Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim.

The new normal practices are among the Education Ministry’s school reopening management guidelines to be distributed to schools.

The 34-page detailed guidelines were developed in collaboration with the Health Ministry and MKN.

Meanwhile, Radzi said parents did not have to worry about physical distancing during school recess as the children would only be allowed at the canteen area in stages and they would eat their meals in the classroom.

“Students who need to buy packed foods will be queuing with a one-meter gap between one person and another before returning to their classroom to eat.

“Hence, the situation at the canteen will be in an orderly manner and the parents don’t have to worry about the kids jostling to buy food as recess time will be carried out in stages to ensure that not all students would gather at the canteen at any one time,” he said.

In order to maintain physical distancing, he said the tables in the classroom must have a one-metre gap and the surplus students would be placed in another class.

Radzi added that school laboratories would also share similar settings to ensure learning would be carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

Commenting on the movement of students within the compound, he said the direction of the students would be marked with arrows to avoid crowding.

He said the guidelines also emphasised on teachers’ well-being, safety and health.

He said teachers did not have to worry about being placed in a cramped teachers’ room as physical distancing applied there too.

The ministry has issued similar guidelines for students in dormitories where their beds would be spaced one metre apart and the dining hall would emphasise on physical distancing, he said.

Radzi said once schools reopen, the ministry would see how the guidelines were being implemented and if there was room for improvement. — Bernama