Parents, teachers want all schools with infections closed

 

The National Union of the Teaching Profession says schools in red zones, and in states under MCO and EMCO must be closed.

PETALING JAYA: Parents’ groups and the national teachers’ union want all schools that have reported Covid-19 infections to be immediately closed for at least 14 days.

National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) president Aminuddin Awang hopes the government will implement the closure to reduce the risk of the virus spreading among teachers and students.

“Schools must be closed if they’re located in red zones, states under the movement control order (MCO) and enhanced MCOs, as well as if there are cases of infections,” he told FMT today.

With teachers contracting Covid-19, he said that meant other teachers would be classified as close contacts and would also need to be quarantined. “So how can these teachers teach? That’s why the schools have to close.”

However, he said schools with no infections reported and a lower risk of cases did not need to be closed to allow face-to-face lessons to continue.

Meanwhile, the National Parent-Teacher Association (PIBGN) is asking the education ministry to close all schools in the country for at least 14 days in view of rising infections in the educational institutions.

Its president Mohamad Ali Hasan said temporary closures were necessary in view of the worrying trend of infections in schools across the country, particularly in Selangor and Kelantan.

“The physical reopening of schools must only be done in green zones, with close surveillance by the health ministry and National Security Council for the safety and health of teachers and students,” he told FMT.

Meanwhile, Ikatan Guru-Guru Muslim Malaysia president Mohd Azizee Hasan also said schools in high-risk and red zones should be closed, although he noted that this would be up to the discretion of the various health district offices.

However, he assured parents that they would not need to worry about school closures and told them to trust the respective schools in managing Covid-19 cases when they happen.

Earlier today, health minister Dr Adham Baba said there were 49 active Covid-19 clusters and 2,617 active cases involving the education sector. - FMT