SCHOOL are still closed pending orders from the Education Ministry, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

“Teachers may go back to school to assist the headmaster or principal prepare the school for re-opening, but this won’t be on the orders of the Education Ministry,” he said today at a daily briefing on Covid-19 security matters.

While civil servants in the support staff group have been instructed to resume work under the conditional movement control order (CMCO), this does not extend to teachers, he added.

Earlier today, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the ministry was preparing the guidelines for the re-opening of schools.

The government has said that the classes will resume first for forms five and six students because they are sitting for important exams this.

The Malaysian Insight reported earlier today that the National Union of the Teaching Profession will send to the Education Ministry for consideration its proposed standard operating procedures for when schools reopen 

Among its recommendations are a shorter school day, halving the number of pupils in the classroom, minimal face-to-face interaction, and rotation of students attending school in person, besides the standard social distancing and hygiene practices. – June 3, 2020.