Reopening Schools Nutp Suggests Alternating Shortening Daily Sessions

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The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) is suggesting alternating school sessions and halving the number of pupils in a classroom as part of the standard operating procedure when schools reopen.

The Malaysian Insight reported that NUTP will send the guidelines to the Education Ministry soon for consideration in the effort to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

"For instance, if a classroom has 30 pupils, they will be divided into two groups of 15 and take turns coming to school.

“This is to ensure that desks are spaced a minimum of 1m apart. One group will come to school, and the other group will get their assignments and lessons online at home.

“Then, in the next three days or a week, the other group comes back to school, while the earlier group stays at home.

“We will leave the rotation of students to each individual school. Some schools can rotate once every three days, while others would prefer rotating once a week," said NUTP president Aminuddin Awang.

The daily school sessions will also be shortened to four hours from 8am to 12pm with only four subjects to be taught per day.

“Although we reduced the number of subjects per day, we are confident that we will still be able to complete all subjects in the curriculum,” he said, adding that recess times will be staggered between classes to avoid crowds in one place.

As for online classes at home, Aminuddin said they will be recorded rather than streamed live.

“Online lessons are not going to be streamed live but recorded so that pupils can download them using their parents’ smartphones.

“Also, homework and assignments will be given out to those whose turn is to study at home.

“When it is their turn to come back to class, they can seek clarification from their teachers on aspects they do not understand.

“The feedback from teachers is that they are committed to ensuring all their pupils are not left behind in lessons in the new normal," he said
Since the control movement order implemented on March 18, schools had been closed to contain the spread of Covid-19
The government has yet to decide on the reopening date. - Mkini

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