KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — The Education Ministry (MOE) today announced changes to the academic term this year to help schools better plan lessons that have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the movement control order (MCO) since March.

The MOE said the mid-term break will now only be five days, down from nine days previously.

The changes affect schools categorised as Group A (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu) and Group B (Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya).

"Year-end term break for Group A will also be reduced to 14 days from 42 days, while Group B reduced to 13 days from 41 days,” it added in a statement.

The MOE said that the school year for 2020 will now total 168 days.

The number of days students spent studying at home during the MCO and subsequent relaxed movement control order (RMCO) totalled 56 days for Group A states and 55 for Group B states.

The revised school term for year 2020 can be seen here.

Schools are to reopen in phases from tomorrow, starting with students who are taking their school leaving examinations.

These include those who will be sitting for SPM, SVM, STPM and STAM.

Students taking international examinations of the same level will also be allowed to resume classes in school.