BINTULU, March 24: Six schools in Bintulu District have been closed after 12 students and faculty members tested positive for Covid-19 as of March 23.
This was confirmed by Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing who in a statement revealed that these six schools are SJK (C) Siong Boon, SK St Anthony, SK Sg Tisang, SK Kelawit, SK Ng Tau and SK Kampung Jepak.
Tiong who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China added that four primary and secondary school teachers and students who were involved in online teaching have also tested positive for Covid-19.
They are from SMK Bandar Bintulu, SMK Baru Bintulu, SMK Tatau and SK Tanjung Batu but these schools have not been closed as those infected only engaged in online teaching and learning prior to testing positive.
Tiong said upon detecting the positive cases, the Health Department had arranged for the affected students and teachers in close contact with the infected patients to be placed in hotels for isolation and conducted nose and throat swab tests.
Sanitation work was also carried out on the affected premises.
Taking note that parents have expressed their worries about confirmed cases in their children’s schools, Tiong said several parents have requested the Ministry of Education (MOE) to temporarily halt in-person classes.
Tiong also called on the MOE to review the cases and listen to the feedback from parents to replace in-person teaching with online classes as the number of confirmed cases in schools continue to rise. — DayakDaily
