SPECIAL needs students must declare their health status to their schools at least three days before the school session begins.

The Ministry of Education in a statement on the management guidelines for special needs students, said parents or guardians needed to make the declaration as an indicator of their children’s health status as well as ability to maintain personal hygiene.

“Based on that declaration, school administrators must decide whether or not the special needs children can attend school,” added the statement.

For those who cannot attend school due to health or rotation issues, will follow the teaching and learning (PdP) process at home, depending on their ability, with the support of their parents and guardians.

The statement also said that, for visually impaired special needs students who cannot, the schools can lend learning support equipment including braille machines, cubarithm sets and talking calculators.

“Those who can’t attend because of rotation will be provided with sufficient learning support material, such as worksheets in the form of braille text or tactile graphics,” the statement said.

Special needs students, apart from examination classes at special education schools and Special Inclusive Educational Programme, will begin schooling on July 15, while those following the Full Inclusive Educational Programme are subject to the dates announced by the ministry yesterday.

Meanwhile, among the guidelines for private educational institution (IPS) categorised as centres, like tuition, language and development centres, are that they must ensure all students, teachers and other staff members download the MySejahtera application and register on the app when entering the premises.

These institutions are also allowed to rotate student attendance if there isn’t sufficient space after taking into consideration social distancing and are permitted to use additional premises with prior approval from state education departments.

The use of surau in public schools is only allowed for prayers and PdP tahfiz intergrated curriculum activities and only allowed for students, teachers and school communities, including imam, bilal and surau committee members appointed by the state Islamic Religious Department.

Yesterday, Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that Form One to Form Four and Remove Class students as well as Year Five and Year Six pupils would return to school from July 15, while Year One to Year Four pupils will return to school the following week on July 22. – Bernama, July 2, 2020.