The Education Ministry has yet to decide if the new school term will begin in March ever year, as would happen in 2022.

Education Minister Radzi Jidin said the ministry would consult all stakeholders before deciding on the matter.

"There are plus points; if the new term starts in March every year, students sitting for exams like the SPM will not have to worry about floods during the monsoon season.

"Also, the waiting time for these students who wish to enrol in universities later will also be cut short," The Star quoted Radzi telling reporters when met during a visit to a school in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

It is worth noting that the ministry has previously decided to open the school academic year for 2022 next year, due to the prolonged closure of schools for face-to-face lessons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year.

This means that students will remain in their current Year or Form until February next year, before transitioning into their next Year or Form in March 2022.

The new schooling term have conventionally opened in January every year, thus far.

Today, some 143,000 students in all states (except Kedah and Johor) resumed face-to-face lessons after schools reopened, and Radzi said the attendance rate was "very good."

Schools in Kedah and Johor are scheduled to reopen on October 10.

In view of the COVID-19 situation, the Education Ministry has introduced a rotation system, where half the number of students in a classroom attend face-to-face learning while the other half continue with home-based teaching and learning.

For now, parents have the option to not send their children back to school, but they have to inform the school of the decision via a letter.


Source: The Star
Photo source: Astro Awani