PENDANG, Dec 5 — The Education Ministry has no plan to end the school session for states under Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan earlier than scheduled despite the detection of Covid-19 cases among students.

Senior Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin said so far, there were 200 cases involving students and the situation was still under control.

The 2021 year-end school holiday for states in Group A, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will begin on December 10 while for Group B, namely Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan on December 11.

"The number of active cases is lower compared to the total number of pupils and students who attended school which is around 4.5 million people. As we are moving towards the endemic phase, this (Covid-19 infection) will occur but with the existing SOP (standard operating procedure), we will try to control the situation to prevent the virus from spreading further.”

He said this in a press conference after launching the Pendang Academy of Science with Deputy Human Resource Minister who is also Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim also present.

Radzi said any decision with regards to the closure of schools would depend on the risk assessment conducted by the Health Ministry, adding that face-to-face school session was important to avoid students from being left behind in their school lessons.

In another development, he said the ministry had approved 11,469 teacher transfer applications or 55 per cent of the total 20,772 applications received.

"We will announce the result tomorrow (Monday),” he said. — Bernama