‘Allow schools to take replacement holiday’

J E R A N T U T: The Congress of Unions of Teachers in the Malaysian Education Service has called on the Education Ministry to allow schools to take a replacement holiday in preparation for the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9.

Its president, Datuk Mohd Sabri Mohd Arshad, said the congress was seeking consideration to use the facility for teachers, who would serve as election officers, as well as for schools which will be used as voting centres.

He said about 6,000 schools were expected to be involved in the election, and the arrangement must be made a day before polling day.

“In addition, teachers who have been appointed as officers must arrange the classrooms a day before polling day.

“On polling day, they may need to work until midnight.

“(And) after that, the classrooms need to be rearranged for the school session the next day.

“Therefore, it is best if the ministry can allow the schools to take a replacement holiday for the purpose,” he said yesterday.

In Kuala Lumpur, leave for 10,000 Fire and Rescue Department officers and personnel will be frozen from nomination day until a week after polling.

Department director-general Datuk Seri Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said a directive was issued for the purpose.

He said the department also completed its checks on fire safety at all polling stations and vote-counting centres for GE14.

He said the checks were conducted after it received the list of the stations and centres from the Election Commission (EC).

The EC had reportedly said 8,989 buildings would be used as polling stations, where 28,995 polling streams would be provided.