SOME classes in Sarawak schools will not resume on June 24 as their class or subject teachers are still in the peninsula, said Michael Manyin.

The state education minister said some 2,664 teachers who returned to their homes in Peninsular Malaysia for the first-term school break, have not reported back to their respective schools as directed by the Education Ministry.

He said of the thousands of stranded teachers, 400 are Form 5 and Upper 6 instructors.

They were told to report back on June 9 to prepare for the reopening of schools, but these teachers are facing difficulty getting back on time due to the limited flights between the peninsula and Sarawak, Manyin told a hastily convened media conference at his office this afternoon.

Apart from the lack of flights, the exorbitant cost of the air tickets is also proving to be a hurdle for many, he added.

A check on the AirAsia website showed all their flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching fully booked until Saturday, with the cheapest one-way ticket on Sunday starting from RM1,355.30 – excluding taxes, meals and other additional costs.

In addition, the state Disaster Management Committee has said it will not compromise on its health protocols for those flying in from the peninsula.

“The SDMC is not making any compromise. All these teachers must be quarantined (for 14 days on arrival),” Manyin said.

“Those serving in towns may undergo home quarantine but those serving in rural areas will be quarantined at (the designated) hotels.”

“(So) we cannot really start classes on June 24 because some of the schools may not have enough teachers,” he said.

Manyin is, however, roping in civil society body Sarawak Volunteers to assist teachers in getting back to Sarawak.

“We believe they will be able to (return) as Sarawak has allowed full-capacity flights.”

In Sarawak, 188 secondary, technical and religious schools – with pupils in Form 5 and Upper 6 preparing for their Sijil Persekolahan Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) – are set to reopen on June 24.

More than 34,000 Form 5 and 6,782 Upper 6 pupils are expected to resume their studies when the schools reopen.

They are among 500,444 students in 2,440 schools across the nation who will go back to school that day, as announced by Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin yesterday.

The senior minister said classes will reopen for those taking the SPM, STPM, SVM, STAM and equivalent international examinations. – June 11, 2020.