Ministry mulls placing SPM, STPM students in Sabah at hostels

 

COVID-19 | The Education Ministry is considering sending Sabah students, sitting for examinations, whose schools have been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic to hostels, said Senior Minister (Education) Radzi Jidin.

This is because parents in Sabah want their children sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) examinations to undergo face-to-face learning sessions with teachers, he said.

“This follows a proposal from parents in the state,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya today after chairing an online meeting with the State Education Department and the District Education Office under the conditional movement control order (MCO).

According to him, although students living in hostels in Sabah have been allowed to return to their homes following the implementation of the conditional MCO, but most parents wanted them to stay in the hostel because it was conducive and safer.

He said limited access to the internet, as well as the lack of devices to conduct online learning, was also a constraint factor for students, especially for those in rural and remote areas.

“However, teachers have done their best by providing modules for students who do not have internet facilities and devices, especially for those sitting for exams to enable them to revise at home,” he said.

Regarding the closure of schools, Radzi said the matter was made on the advice of the Health Ministry on the Covid-19 infection situation in an area.

“We will abide by the MOH’s instructions and for now, the closure of schools are in the red zone areas which have infections within the community and schools which have recorded positive Covid-19 cases,” he said.

For now, he said, 2,601 schools registered with the Education Ministry were temporarily closed due to Covid-19 involving 1.67 million students.

The government announced the enforcement of conditional MCO in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya from Oct 14 to 27. Conditional MCO was also implemented throughout Sabah from Oct 13 to 26.

- Bernama