KKCCCI Regrets Guidelines For Schools Not Released Yet

Lui (far right), SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu Board of Governors chairman Datuk William Chu (third left), headmaster Tai Nyit Wun (second right) and others inspect the first day of school without the rotational system.

KOTA KINABALU (April 18): Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) president Datuk Michael Lui has expressed regret over the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) inability to release the Guidelines for School Management and Operation 4.0 before primary schools fully operated without a rotational system on Monday.

He said the guidelines were important to prevent Covid-19 transmission among teachers and pupils in schools.

He said schools could be better prepared if the guidelines were issued before the return of all the pupils, while the standard operating procedures (SOPs) under the guideline would ensure a safe environment for the children.

Lui said that after inspecting SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu on the first day of school after the rotational system was scrapped on Monday.

SJK(C) Hwa Shiong Putatan recorded the highest attendance rate at 92.33 per cent, followed by SJK(C) Che Hwa Kolombong at 89.36 per cent, SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu at 89.02 per cent and SJK(C) Chung Hwa Likas at 85.8 per cent.

On another note, he said the pupils’ school bags were significantly lighter following the MOE’s measures to reduce the weight of school bags for students.

He said reducing the weight of school bags required a multi-pronged approach.

He said the schools under KKCCCI has followed the government’s directive by rearranging their daily timetables to limit the number of subjects taught daily to four for Primary 1 to 3, and not more than six subjects each day for Primary 4 to 6.

“Pupils at the lower primary level are seeing a larger adjustment, while the impact on the upper levels is less.”

He said rearranging the timetable would squeeze certain subjects into a day, which would not have a big effect on learning.

Lui added that all four primary schools under the chamber were equipped with smart classrooms, and most of the schools have provided cabinets so that pupils need not bring their books home.

The schools also provide water dispensers for pupils to fill up their water bottles.

“We hope that parents will avoid buying heavy bags and inspect their weight of their children’s school bags more often.

Lui said the Culture and Education Sub-Committee of KKCCCI would hold a meeting soon to discuss issues and ways to improve on the resumption of normal schooling session without the rotational system and reduction of the weight of school bags.