SIBU: The reopening of schools for Form 5 and 6 students on Wednesday (June 24) was smooth, with all 22 secondary schools adhering to the standard operating procedures.
Secondary school students, who resumed classes on Wednesday, were those who would be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) examinations as well as international examinations.
Classes in Malaysia have been postponed for almost three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sibu District Education Department head, Ahli Chiba said he was satisfied there was no major hiccup in the schools based on the report and photographs from his officers.
His department had formed 11 inspection teams with three persons in each group.
The inspection was carried out before the classes started at noon. A total of 3,317 Form 5 students and 705 Form Six students from 22 schools resumed classes on Wednesday (June 24).
“From the initial report and photographs presented to me by the teams, everything went on smoothly. The SOPs were followed with the students and teachers wearing face masks, sanitising their hands, having their temperatures scanned and social distancing observed,” he said.
Some students, he added, did not turn up as they were down with normal sicknesses.
Ahli said these schools had prepared themselves for the reopening more than three weeks in advance.
“We will continue to monitor these schools until June 26 as we need to report to the Education Ministry,” he added.
Chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, Clarence Ting, who sent his son to school at 6.20am Wednesday morning, was glad to see the SOPs were in place for his son and all the students.”
Ting’s son is studying at SMK Methodist. At the school, there are three entrances to prevent congestion with more than 150 teachers and staff and more than 440 students turning up for classes
Prior to arriving at the school, Ting anticipated long queues but was surprised to see there was none.
“What I found was different. Policemen were also there to ensure that the SOPs were in place at three entrances to prevent congestion,” he said.
Ting was told by the principal that more than 440 Form 5 and 6 students attended classes on Wednesday.
“Classes were split with not more than 20 students per classroom. The principal said the current situation is manageable but if the whole student body were to start, getting enough classrooms to accommodate all will be a big challenge,” he added.
The council, he said, was also checking to see what it could do to make it safer for the students to go back to school.
