Covid-19 in schools: MP urges Education Ministry to be transparent

The Education Ministry has been urged to provide daily updates on new Covid-19 cases involving schools.

In a statement today, Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching (above) said many schools have been reporting Covid-19 cases on their own.

"The Education Ministry must provide daily updates regarding the Covid-19 situation in schools. This involves transparency. There are no two ways about it.

"Parents and teachers have a right to this information so they can make informed decisions," said Teo, who was formerly a deputy education minister.

Yesterday, Sin Chew Daily cited the National Union of Heads of Schools (KKGGBM) president Lim Bee Khim who said at least 146 primary schools and 40 secondary schools were hit with Covid-19 cases since physical lessons resumed on March 1.

As there have been no instructions from the authorities, Lim said some schools took matters into their own hands by cancelling classes, informing parents, and other measures.

"Teachers have been arranging transport for students and determining if they should go straight to daycare, tuition classes, or home. We have to establish these links.

"If there are cases, the affected daycare centres, tuition centres, and bus services will be notified," said Lim.

Separately, Teo also urged Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz to speed up the delivery of 150,000 computers to students, as announced during Budget 2021 which was tabled in November 2020.

Teo said that Zafrul said the rollout of the computer scheme was supposed to take place in February but as of today, there had been no updates.

"I have raised this question in numerous statements and the audacity of the finance minister and the collective irresponsibility of the cabinet to ignore such an important question is disastrous.

"It simply implies that they do not care about our children’s education. It is no wonder the #KerajaanGagal hashtag is trending (on social media)," said Teo.