When will schools reopen? Health D-G says may take two to four weeks after businesses return

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) said today it will recommend for the social and educational sectors to be reopened between two to four weeks after the economic sector is allowed to re-open fully.

Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham also said that the ministry will only discuss with the National Security Council tomorrow whether to reopen daycare centres, as several industries are already allowed to operate fully today.

“As far as schools are concerned, the Ministry of Health suggested and proposed that we start with opening the economic sector first.

“So we can monitor the situation and then within two to four weeks, we will decide and propose when the social and educational sector to be reopened,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said, no matter which sectors are involved, the most important part is that they are all complying with MOH’s guidelines on Covid-19.

“The guidelines are there, if they can maintain social distancing, then there should be no problem, but that’s what we have to be sure of,” he said.

Schools have remained closed since the mid-term holiday in March.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he has directed the Ministry of Education to implement home-based learning during the partial lockdown, amid parents’ concern of their children’s education as the MCO was extended again.

Meanwhile, tertiary education students have been allowed to return home since last weekend, but only if their movements are between the so-called “green zones”.

This comes as the government announced last night that it has allowed companies under the economic sectors which have been permitted to operate during the MCO to resume full operations starting today.

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