Schools with positive COVID-19 cases to close for one week - KPM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9  -- Any school with positive COVID-19 cases should be closed for seven days without waiting for the risk analysis from the Health Ministry (MOH), said the Education Ministry (KPM).

KPM said this was decided at a special meeting of the National Security Council (MKN) on COVID-19 Management this morning following the rising trend in COVID-19 cases.

“The closure will enable cleaning and disinfection works as well as close contact tracing to be undertaken by MOH.

“In this matter, schools which have recorded positive COVID-19 cases should follow the guidelines on school closure which will be issued by KPM,” it said in a statement tonight.

KPM said students of fully residential schools in COVID-19 red zones should stay put in their hostels while those whose residential schools are in green zones but their family homes are in red zones should also remain in their hostels.

“The school authorities will manage the security and welfare of these students at the hostels.

“During this period of school closure, school administrators are directed to ensure that teachers and students implement home-based teaching and learning. The manual for teaching and learning from home can be downloaded from the official portal of KPM at www.moe.gov.my,” the statement added.

KPM said it would continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation involving education institutions under its charge and make decisions based on assessment of data and thorough discussions with MOH and MKN.

Since schools were reopened on June 24, 2020, all decisions on closure of classes or schools had been based on instructions from MOH, it added.

Today, Sekolah Kebangsaan Presint 8 (1) in Putrajaya and Sekolah Kebangsaan Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur were ordered to close from today until Oct 16 following the detection of positive COVID-19 cases there.

-- BERNAMA