Ministry of Education Urged To Close Primary Schools Again As Kids Don’t Fully Understand Social Distancing

The Ministry of Education has been urged to close primary schools for fear that younger students are unprepared to return as the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been fully erased from our country just yet. 

Some fear that the younger students aren’t prepared to return to school again.

Datuk Seri Mohd. Sharkar Shamsudin, UMNO Supreme Council member said primary school students, particularly those in the range of Standard one to three do not fully understand the concept of social distancing.

“They (the students) will not practice social distancing as they don’t fully understand it. They will just rely on their teachers to take care of them,” said the Council member in a statement recorded by Utusan Malaysia.

Mohd Sharkar himself said that he had the opportunity of visiting one of the schools in SK Jalan Bahagia. “I discovered that the students, especially those in Standard one to Standard three do not understand and are not ready to return to school,” he told the news publication.

Primary school students (Standard one to four) were allowed to go back to school on 22nd July while older students (Standard five and six) have been going back to school since 15th July.

The UMNO Supreme Council member added that the government shouldn’t take action so hurriedly to avoid the possibility of a new cluster involving these young primary school students. Aside from suggesting that primary schools be closed down, the Supreme Council member added that students in Form one to Form three be given school holidays.

“Only students from Form four and five should be allowed to be in school until we are definitely sure that the virus spread is under control and a vaccine has been found.”

What do you think of this opinion? 

Also read: “Primary Schools Should Re-Open By Late September Or October”, Suggests NUTP President