Yesterday, it was confirmed that a few selected states in Malaysia will be placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) 2.0 beginning midnight on Wednesday (13 January 2021) until 26 January 2021.
As reported by New Straits Times (NST), under this MCO 2.0, travel movement would be limited to a 10-km radius from a person’s home to the desired destination, and only two persons from a household are permitted to leave the house and travel in the same vehicle.
This concerns parents, teachers, and students alike as back in December 2020, the Daily School Management Division of the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) has finally announced and confirmed the date for reopening of schools for both primary and secondary schools in Malaysia for the year 2021.
For MCO Areas
School-Going Students
If I am staying in the MCO zone, can my kid physically go to school as stated previously?
Following the announcement of the MCO 2.0, the Ministry of Education has announced that only students taking key national examinations may physically attend school during MCO, especially for those living in Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan, Melaka, Johor, and Sabah.
- The students consist of those sitting for SPM, Malaysian Vocational Certificate (SVM), Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM), STPM, the Malaysian Higher Religious Certificate (STAM) and Malaysian Vocational Diploma (DVM) for the year 2020 and 2021, as well as equivalent international examinations.
As for students who are at fully residential schools or schools with hostels, who will be sitting for such exams are allowed to return to their hostels starting 16 January 2021, with the schools to issue letters giving special approval for those living beyond a 10-km radius from their schools and to travel across states or districts to return to their hostels.
- Students from Standard One to Form Four must continue with online learning starting 20 January 2021.
- Form One-registered candidates who have yet to sit for their assessment for enrollment in special schools will sit for the assessment between 20 and 29 January 2021.
- The assessment for those entering Form Four will be held between 15 and 25 February 2021.
As reported by the Malay Mail, the ministry plans to issue letters granting special approval to allow candidates to travel across states or districts to go to their respective assessment centres.
Teachers
All teachers in schools who are involved with the SPM/SVM/SKM/STPM/STAM/DVM examinations for the year 2020 and 2021 in MCO areas are required to be present in schools to conduct face-to-face teaching and learning activities.
The schools would have to issue letters giving special approval to enable the teachers to travel across states or districts to be present at schools.
Matriculation College
Those who are already at their colleges in MCO areas are required to remain in their respective colleges to continue hybrid lessons, while students of all programmes at Institutes of Teacher Education (IPG) in MCO areas are to undergo online lessons starting 17 January 2021.
Kindergarten
All private kindergartens that are registered with the Ministry of Education can continue to operate face-to-face.
For CMCO & RMCO Areas
- CMCO areas: Pahang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu, and Kelantan.
- RMCO: Perlis and Sarawak.
All educational institutions under the ministry and all private educational institutes that are registered with the ministry, including international schools, will operate according to the respective schedules of each institution.
As for schools that are not registered with the ministry, including those coming under state governments, the ministry recommended that such schools follow the rules listed out in the statement.