OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim has urged the government to consider providing grants and extending the contracts of canteen operators whose business has been affected by the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“More than 10,000 canteen operators nationwide are affected by the decision to close schools until December 17 (last day of the 2020 school calendar year),” he said in a statement today.

“I demand an immediate explanation and action from the education minister on this issue.”

He said the closure of schools will force many canteen operators to close shop as they won’t be able to foot their daily cost.

The Port Dickson MP said he is disappointed with the government for making such a hasty decision without taking the fate of canteen operators into account.

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said all schools and institutions of higher learning under the Education Ministry will be closed for the rest of the year and will only reopen on January 20 after the latest conditional movement-control order (CMCO).

Although schools in Perlis, Pahang, Kelantan and Sarawak are not placed under the CMCO, they will also be closed in the effort to break the Covid-19 chain.

Schools are expected to facilitate home-based or online learning to replace classroom study. – November 11, 2020.