PETALING JAYA, March 21 – Due to the extreme hot and dry weather, all schools in Kedah and Perlis have been ordered to close for two days from tomorrow. Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid who announced this today, said the decision was taken on the advice of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and Health Ministry following rising temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius.
“Only the teaching and learning process is closed in all schools in the two states. However, the teachers need to be present in school,” he told reporters after receiving an honorary doctorate in Education from Cyberjaya University College of Medical Science (CUCMS) in Damansara, here.
Tunku Temenggong Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah conferred the award on him. Also present at the ceremony was Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah. Mahdzir said his ministry would also continue to monitor the weather condition in other states and would make furtner announcement based on the situation.
On Sunday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said schools in a certain area would be closed if the temperature rose above 37 degrees Celsius for more than 72 hours. Malaysia is now experiencing a hot and dry weather due to the El Nino phenomenon and the Meteorological Department has forcasted the condition to end only in May or June.
Meanwhile, the closure of the schools in Kedah will affect 413,786 students in 202 secondary schools, 547 primary schools as well as several pre-schools, and 32,421 teachers. The attendance at schools in Kedah had not dropped over the past two days despite the mercury exceeding 37 degrees Celsius.
Sekolah Menengah Sultanah Asma principal Kartini Zakaria said attendance was 97 per cent at the school. She said there were many parents sent their children to school themselves instead of allowing them to ride motorcycles or bicycles or walk. Kartini said the school did not carry out any outdoor activities for fear of the students suffering from heatstroke.
Sekolah Kebangsaan Hutan Kampung principal Fauziah Mohd Hanafiah said attendance at the school was 96 per cent. She said the school provided free drinking water for all pupils. Mohd Fikri Abu Hassan, 35, a private sector employee, said he sent his children to school at SK Sungai Daun Tengah, Yan, and the Annur Suria Bestari kindergarten in Alor Setar because he did not want their studies to be interrupted, even by the hot weather.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry in a statement today said the two-day closure involved 853 schools including 621 primary schools and a total of 413,786 students in Kedah and Perlis. They comprise 397,832 primary and secondary school students and 15,954 pre-school pupils. The ministry said the two days of schooling missed due to the closure needed not be replaced.
Meanwhile, he also added that the Education Department and District Education Offices in both states should be monitoring to ensure the closure order be adhered to. It stressed that the closure would only involve the absence of students but the schools’ administrative operations should go on as usual. The ministry said it would announce from time to time on any change related to the El Nino phenomenon.
