By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, April 19: Association of the Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions supports the latest decision to close all schools in Covid-19 red zone from tomorrow for two weeks.
Its president Jonathan Chai said it was a sensible and wise decision in view of Covid-19 cases spike.
“We applaud the decision announced by YAB Chief Minister this morning to close all schools in the red zone for 14 days with effect from tomorrow.
“This is a sensible and wise decision in the midst of the recent spike in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 recorded across Sarawak.
“A lot of parents and teachers will feel relieved that a bold and practical move is finally taken after numerous calls and appeals made by various school boards and teachers unions,” Chai told DayakDaily.
There are in total 223 Chinese primary schools including 186 Chinese aided primary schools, 31 government Chinese primary schools and six Chinese mission primary schools.
This morning, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during a special press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today said the Sarawak government has decided to close all schools and tuition centres in Covid-19 red zones for two weeks starting tomorrow.
Abang Johari, who is also Finance and Economic Planning Minister, asserted that for public health and the safety of the children, the Sarawak government has decided to temporarily close all schools and tuition centres in red zones of Covid-19 for 14 days to curb the transmission of the coronavirus.
There are 18 districts in Sarawak which are classified as Covid-19 red zones.
They are Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Kapit, Meradong, Julau, Serian, Samarahan, Beluru, Sarikei, Mukah, Matu, Subis, Saratok, Selangau, Kanowit and Belaga.
Meanwhile, there were two Covid-19 clusters involving schools reported yesterday.
They are the Jalan Bintulu-Sibu Cluster in Tatau which involved a secondary school student who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 10 and the Tarat Tani Cluster in Serian which involved a housewife and subsequently involved a primary school and a secondary school in Tarat.
In Miri, the Miri Divisional Disaster Management Committee (MDDMC) revealed that so far there have been more than 400 students tested positive for Covid-19.
Hence, Minister in charge of MDDMC Datuk Lee Kim Shin had yesterday proposed to the State Education Department for schools in Miri, Subis and Beluru districts to close for two weeks.— DayakDaily
