PENDANG: The Education Ministry has no plans to end the school session for states under Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) earlier than scheduled despite the detection of Covid-19 cases among students.

       Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin said so far, there were 200 cases involving students, and the situation was under control.

       The 2021 year-end school holiday for states in Group A, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will begin on Dec 10.

       It will begin on Dec 11 for Group B states and territories, namely Selangor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

       "The number of active cases is lower compared to the total number of pupils and students who attended school which is around 4.5 million people.

       “As we are moving towards the endemic phase, this (Covid-19 infection) will occur but with the existing SOP (standard operating procedure), we will try to control the situation to prevent the virus from spreading further.”

       He said this in a press conference after launching the Pendang Academy of Science with Deputy Human Resources Minister, Datuk Awang Hashim, who is also Pendang MP.

       Radzi said any decision with regards to the closure of schools would depend on the risk assessment conducted by the Health Ministry, adding that face-to-face school sessions were important to prevent students from being left behind in their lessons.

       In another development, he said the ministry had approved 11,469 teacher transfer applications or 55% of the total 20,772 applications received.

       "We will announce the results tomorrow (Monday),” he said. - Bernama