KUCHING: The recent directive for all schools in Covid-19 red zones to close for 14 days was a relief said Education, Science and Technological Research Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He said spike in Covid-19 cases of late at schools was evolving rapidly compared to past months.
“I am thankful that schools have been closed. I thank Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for announcing the closure.
“For schools, it is not like we are closing it willy-nilly but in the last one to two weeks, we have seen the Covid-19 cases increasing quickly compared to months before that,” he said in a livestream on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
Dr Annuar said of late, the cases at schools have become a daily occurrence from the reports he received from school headmasters in the district.
“That is why I issued a statement personally that we must close our schools as we don’t want clusters linked to schools to occur,” he said.
On Monday, Abang Johari said all schools in the state’s red zones in were to be closed for 14 days beginning Tuesday following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
He said the government took this measure because infections had been reported in school areas and could spread to students, parents and teachers.
“In order to protect the health of children and the local communities, the Sarawak government decided to close all schools in red zones,” he said.
Last week, Dr Annuar had suggested that all schools in Sibu should be closed for two weeks and informed State Education director Dr Norisah Suhaili regarding the issue.
“I take the situation of the pandemic seriously as it puts the students and teachers at risk, considering that the positive cases in Sibu are on the rise once more.
“It is not just a matter of closing schools in Zone 1 to Zone 7, but the closure of all schools in Sibu,” he said at the time.
