Penang JPN Enhances Preparedness Of 398 Schools To Face Heat Wave

GEORGE TOWN, March 30 (Bernama) -- The Penang State Education Department (JPN) is taking proactive steps by strengthening the preparedness of schools throughout the state in the face of the current heat wave.

State Education director Mohamad Dziauddin Mat Saad said this included holding an engagement session with all headmasters, principals and the District Education Office (PPD) to ensure that all 398 schools make preparations before the school session reopens, based on guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

He said that as a result of the engagement last Friday, schools had taken immediate action by informing parents in advance about the adjustment of schedules and students' needs during the hot weather period, including giving schools autonomy to determine more comfortable clothing.

“Parents have also been informed about this preparation to give confidence that the school will ensure that the three main things, namely the health, welfare and safety of students, are always taken care of.

“That is why we can see that on the first day of school opening today, children came wearing T-shirts, carrying water supplies, mini fans and the school even took the initiative to provide water supplies in the canteen,” he told reporters after conducting a survey at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Gelugor here today.

Commenting further, Mohamad Dziauddin said JPN was also paying attention to the school infrastructure aspects, especially involving fans, windows and ventilation systems to ensure that the learning environment remains conducive.

In this regard, he said the Infrastructure and Procurement Sector had been instructed to immediately review any issues related to the facilities so that repair work could be carried out immediately.

He also said that outdoor activities such as sports and co-curricular activities could still continue with certain adjustments, including being carried out in covered areas or early in the morning to avoid exposure to hot weather.

Although Penang is not in the level on the current situation, Mohamad Dziauddin said that monitoring is being carried out continuously and his party is always in close contact with the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) to obtain the latest weather information to be distributed to schools.

He informed that so far, there is no need to implement Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) and school sessions will continue to be held face-to-face.

In addition, he said that as part of the educational approach, schools are also encouraged to perform the Istisqa’ sunnah prayer to pray for rain.

-- BERNAMA