A senior education ministry official, Zainal Abas, said the ministry had put in place sufficient measures to ensure a safe schooling environment. The ministry was committed to its plans for reopening schools, he said.

“We have formulated the SOP to enable schools to operate safely for face-to-face teaching and learning. All we need is support from the parents, and for the community and society to trust us,” said Zainal, who is head of the ministry’s daily school operations.

Speaking in an interview with Astro Awani, he said the ministry had laid out plans, together with the health ministry and the national immunisation task force on vaccinating those between 12 and 17.

He said 89% of teachers have been fully vaccinated. Pupils in Forms Five and Six had been vaccinated and some states have started vaccination of teenagers, NST Online reported.

“The Education Ministry together with the Health Ministry and CITF already have a vaccination plan ready, including mobilising vaccination teams to schools, but of course this would all depend on the individual, and more importantly, the parents’ consent.”

Schools reopen in stages from October under the national recovery plan.