KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry should reopen schools only for students sitting school-leaving examinations this year, said an educationist.
Universiti Kebangsaan Mal- aysia education expert Dr Anuar Ahmad said there should be strict conditions to mitigate Covid-19 transmission, including that all students, teachers, administrative staff, guards, canteen workers and school bus drivers be completely immunised.
He said family members living with exam-year students must also be vaccinated.
Under the National Recovery Plan guidelines, a person is completely immunised against Covid-19 14 days after the second jab of a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Sinovac) or 28 days after getting a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson and CanSino).
Anuar said the Education Ministry must present detailed, clear and easily understood standard operating procedures (SOP) for the reopening of schools, including for students' home, journey to and from school, and school compound.
"Students not taking major examinations this year can continue with online learning until the end of the year or until the number of new cases goes down to a safe and controlled level, as determined by the Health Ministry.
"Teachers who refuse to be vaccinated can be assigned to home-based teaching and learning for students not in exam-year classes."
He said apart from ensuring people were completely vaccinated, there must be strict SOP adherence during and after school hours.
He said parents must be more responsible and ensure good hygiene at home.
"For example, if there are family members who are symptomatic or are close contacts (of positive cases), parents must not allow their children to go to school."
He said the plan to reopen schools should focus not only on completing the syllabus, but also take into account other factors, including the mental health of students.
He said there should be a "learning adjustment" period for the first two weeks of school.
He said this was to ensure students eased into physical learning and to restore their morale and mental state.
"There are other issues, such as the welfare of students who have lost their parents to Covid-19 and students from hardcore poor households.
"The authorities must also look into the issue of lack of nutrition, which may lead to stunted growth.
"These students need a well-planned supplementation programme in school to boost their growth and development."
On Saturday, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said schools would reopen in phases from Oct 3.
He said the reopening would be explained to the public when engagement sessions with school administrators and teachers had been completed.
Radzi said the ministry had decided that teachers who refused vaccination would not be allowed to physically interact with students.
He said the ministry would issue guidelines on tasks for unvaccinated teachers.
