SOME 2.7 million students nationwide began face-to-face sessions today for the 2022/2023 school year, Education Minister Radzi Jidin said.

He said 2.67 million of which were primary school pupils, while 30,900 more were Year 2, 3 and 4 vocational college students, adding that secondary school students will continue with home-based teaching and learning (PdPR).

“We have more than 90% attendance and, although some children have not been vaccinated, parents are not unduly worried about their children attending classes,” he told reporters at SK Syed Idrus Kampung Kuang Hilir in Chemor near Kuala Lumpur today.

Radzi said the Education Ministry will monitor schools with more than 600 students before allowing attendance without rotation in line with the country entering into the transition to endemic phase beginning April 1.

“We can’t wait for the vaccination rates or set a certain rate before allowing attendance without rotation as the rate is still low, and that is why the new session will be monitored for a certain period,” he said.

In another development, Radzi said the ministry was studying why teachers were opting for early retirement of late.

“We are going through the data and will study the factors, including causes, age of teachers and career years, that led to their decision to retire early,” he said.

On February 17, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad said the state government has been receiving reports of teachers retiring early due to rising stress levels caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. – Bernama, March 21, 2022.