MCO 2.0: What Students & Parents Need To Know About School Opening

Here’s the guidelines set by the Education Ministry

Firdaus Latif/Malay Mail

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The Education Ministry (MOE) has released a statement explaining details of school operations as the Movement Control Order (MCO) returns to several states on 13 January.

Here’s what students and parents need to know about school reopening from 20 January onwards:

Schools and Kindergartens in MCO areas

This affects schools in Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Pulau Pinang, Sabah and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

Face-to-face teaching and learning sessions apply only to students who will take major examinations for 2020 and 2021 sessions, which are:

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)
Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM)
Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM)
Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)
Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM)
Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM)
Equivalent international examinations

Students of Fully Residential Schools and students who reside in school hostels may return to hostels from 16 January onwards. Schools will issue a special permission letter for the students to cross district or state borders in order to return.

Primary school students, Secondary school students (Form 1- Form 4) will undergo online classes according to the suitability of teachers and students. This directive also applies to Semester 2 SVM and DVM students in Vocational Colleges.

Registered candidates who have yet to sit for assessment for enrollment in special schools for Form 1 will sit for the assessment between 20 – 29 January.

Assessment for those entering Form 4 will be held between 15 – 25 February, with MOE to issue letters granting special approval to allow candidates to travel across states or districts to go to the assessment centres.

Matriculation college students already at their colleges are required to remain in their respective colleges to continue hybrid lessons, while students of all programmes at Institutes of Teacher Education (IPG) will undergo online lessons from 17 January.

Private kindergartens registered with the Education Ministry can operate with face-to-face lessons.

Senior Minister (Education) Dr Radzi Jidin explained that kindergartens are open so that parents can go to work since the MCO this time allows economic activity to continue.

Regarding whether attendance would be compulsory for online learning as some students had connectivity issues, the Minister said they will find alternative ways to ensure students do not miss out on lessons.

He also explained that schools have been advised and will be in contact with parents regarding textbooks for students and which Form 1 classes new secondary school students will be assigned to for online learning.

Teachers in MCO areas

Teachers are required to return to their work stations before 20 January.

Teachers who are involved with the SPM/SVM/SKM/STPM/STAM/DVM examinations for the 2020 and 2021 sessions have to be present in school to conduct face-to-face teaching and learning activities. Other teachers will physically present in schools based on duty schedules determined by the Head of Departments.

Schools will issue letters giving special approval to enable the teachers to travel across states or districts to be present at schools.

Teachers with health issues which may be at higher risk if they are infected with Covid-19 must have medical evidence, such as a doctor’s letter, for special considerations.

Schools in CMCO & RMCO areas

All educational institutions under the ministry and all private educational institutes registered with the Education Ministry – including international schools – will operate according to their respective academic schedules.

Primary school students can attend school for classes and tuition centres in these areas can be opened.

Secondary school students are also allowed to attend school for classes, with the exception of Form 2 and Form 3 students who will have online classes.

This applies to schools in CMCO areas of Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, as well as schools in RMCO areas of Perlis and Sarawak.

Aside from that, schools not registered with MOE, including those under state governments, are recommended to follow the rules listed out by the ministry.

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