Yii urges MoE, MoH to come up with broad plan to protect students, teachers from Covid-19

KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii is calling on both the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of Health (MoH) to come up with a comprehensive education blueprint in an effort to protect students and teachers from Covid-19.

In a statement yesterday, he asserted that this blueprint should include clear and specific parameters and considerations to decide the opening and closing of schools in case of an outbreak or a surge of cases in an area.

He also proposed that the MoE close all schools in red and orange zones in Sarawak for at least two weeks to help break the spread of infection in the schools.

“By going on with the current system and classes, it is not effective as the students and teachers are distracted by the rising cases as well as the disruption in their learning momentum in school,” he pointed out.

Aside from that, Dr Yii also suggested that during the school closure period the ministry must come up with a ‘hybrid system’ or ‘rotating system’ for schools in highrisk areas where classes are rotated on different days, thus reducing the number of students in school.

He added that those who can follow home-based learning should be allowed to do so at home and those who cannot be allowed to come to school.

“The ministry must then train and equip all teachers to help adapt to such a system during this period and not let them to ‘figure things out’ on their own.

“This will prepare the teachers as schools reopen again and this system can be in place for schools in high-risk areas and can be reverted to normal system once the situation recovers,” he said.

He also said the ministry must be transparent on crucial information on Covid-19 outbreaks in schools so that parents can make an informed choice on what is best for their children in such situation.

With clear and specific parameter, he added, parents can then evaluate whether to send their children to school, or even for the district education office to make decisions when to open or close schools.

“Such decision must be based on facts and data and not any political consideration. Vaccination for teachers must be prioritised in Phase 2 which starts tomorrow.

“That is why I urge the Ministry of Education to be pro-active and come up with a comprehensive plan before more and more of our students and teachers suffer even more. We cannot waste this time again like we wasted the full year without coming out with a comprehensive system.

“Schools cannot just simply open and close based on daily numbers, and this cannot go on forever especially as many experts are expecting Covid19 to be endemic. That is why a clear system must be in place for any eventualities,” he asserted.