TEACHERS, PTAS READY FOR JULY 15

Teachers at SK Jugra, Banting, Selangor, measuring the distance between desks recently

KUALA LUMPUR: WITH barely a week left before the reopening of schools on July 15, teachers as well as parent-teacher associations (PTAs) are making preparations for the return of students after more than three months away due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Several schools have decided on the type of model that they will use to accommodate students, while taking into account the compliance with Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), particularly social distancing, as stipulated by the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry.

Senior Education Minister Dr Radzi Jidin had said the July 15 opening would involve students from Form 6 (Semester 1), Form 1 to Form 4; and Year 5 and Year 6 for primary schools, as well as Remove classes.

On July 22, Year 1 to Year 4 pupils will return to schools.

Radzi had on July 1 unveiled three models that could be implemented by schools.

Model 1 is the single-schooling session, which means schools can operate as usual due to the adequate number of classrooms or space to cater to all students.

Model 2 is the two-session system for schools that lack space to accommodate all students in one session, while Model 3 goes on a rotational basis for schools with insufficient space to place students either in a single or dual session.

SMK Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam, will stick to its single-schooling session, like it has done for the past 42 years.

PTA president Datin Mizaton Isa said yesterday it decided that Model 1 could accommodate all 1,000 students in 31 classrooms while taking into account the 1m gap between desks.

"However, a restructuring will be done to fit the number of students to the classroom size.

"This is to ensure that social distancing can be implemented and controlled.

'We want to ensure that the SOP set by the authorities is adhered to for the safety of students," she told the New Straits Times.

She said the decision to adopt Model 1 was decided at a PTA meeting yesterday.

Mizaton said the school would stagger the recess time, where students would take breaks according to their form levels.

"The school has urged the canteen operator to adopt the pre-order concept so that the movement of the students during recess can be monitored and controlled.

"Only class representatives can pick up the pre-ordered food at a pre-determined time."

Students will be subjected to body temperature checks upon their arrival at the school gate, where QR codes will be used to record their information, said Mizaton.

The school, she added, had 10 non-contact thermometers, and would get more soon.

The PTA for SK Desa Amanpuri, Selayang, said the school would proceed with Model 1.

Its PTA president, Shamsiah Abdul Rahman, said the school could cater to 340 pupils in 13 classrooms, including one for a batch of preschoolers, in a single session.

"We have fewer than 40 pupils for each classroom and the 1m gap between one desk to another can accommodate them comfortably.

"The only thing we don't have space for are the teachers' tables. These will be moved and placed outside the classroom.

"We put together the layout last week and are fine-tuning the arrangements.

"Parents will be informed about our decision on Model 1 soon and via our school's WhatsApp group."

Shamsiah added the school would use the pre-order method for the canteen.

National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Harry Tan said the guidelines on the reopening of schools had been sent to administrators by the ministry and relayed to the teachers.

"We understand that a majority of schools will be in Model 1 (single session), which works out to more than 3,000 schools out of 10,000 in the country."

NEW STRAITS TIMES ONLINE