UPSET over the Education Ministry’s (MOE) abysmal response to COVID-19 outbreak in schools, the Pakatan Harapan Education Committee urged the minister and his deputies to resign.
“They seemed to have failed in carrying out their duty as expected by the people. Just quit for the sake of the rakyat and Malaysia,” it said, in a statement.
In the last one month, several schools were forced to close after students and teachers were tested positive for the novel coronavirus, leaving many parents livid and fearful of their children’s safety.
Two days ago, five schools in Sabah were closed down after several COVID-19 cases were detected. The schools are SJKC Shan Tao, SMK Shan Tao, SJKC Chung Hwa, SJKC Chung Hwa Likas and SJKC Lok Yu.
It is to note the MOE has given school authorities discretionary powers to decide on whether to close schools or otherwise, if there are COVID-19 cases detected there.
Touching on the matter, the committee said that many school authorities are running out of ideas on how to cope with the situation, with communities getting restless with the spike of COVID-19 cases at their areas.
“While we acknowledge the effort taken by school authorities across the nation to comply with standard operating procedure (SOP), such move requires cooperation from all parties without compromise.
“But the people are getting frustrated as MOE did not give clear directions, as much of it is shrouded in secrecy. What we see here is the failure of Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin and his two deputies, Muslimin Yahya and Datuk Mah Hang Soong in communicating and responding to the matter urgently,” it retorted.
Compounding to the problem, the Opposition MPs said, was the Government’s failure to strengthen the teaching and learning from home (PDPR) system for students who had to stay home due to the pandemic.
“And if I may, where are the 150,000 laptops promised to students by the Government?” they asked.
The committee comprise of Maszlee Malik (chairman), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Teo Nie Ching, Hasan Baharom, Wilfred Madius Tangau, Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah and Ahmad Hassan. – April 24, 2021.
