PETALING JAYA: Parents and not teachers should conduct the weekly Covid-19 tests on primary school pupils, says the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP).

       Its secretary-general Wang Heng Suan said the tests of the selected pupils should be carried out by parents at home a day before class, using the self-test kits provided.

       The result will then be sent to the pupil’s class teacher and if it is negative, Wang said the pupil will be allowed to attend school that day.

       “We feel that through this method, we can prevent the spread of Covid-19 to teachers and school staff, which would cause schools to close if a pupil tests positive (on school grounds).

       “We hope the Education Ministry will consider changing the standard operating procedure for the safety and health of our pupils, teachers and staff,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Dec 2).

       He said among the feedback NUTP received from teachers was that making them conduct the test is dangerous and risky as they are not provided with any protection such as personal protective equipment (PPE), gloves or face shields.

       “We strongly disagree that teachers were asked to conduct Covid-19 tests on primary school pupils.

       “The pupils are not able to carry out the tests on their own,” he added.