PUTRAJAYA: The first Form Five, Form Six, Vocational and Malaysian Higher Islamic Religious Certificate (STAM) classes nationwide will reopen beginning June 24.
This also applies to classes for international certificates of the same level.
The announcement on the reopening of these examination bound classes, which will involve some 500,000 students at 2,440 schools, was made by Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin during a live televised broadcast today.
Apart from Sijil Pelajaran Malaysian (SPM) and STAM, other top-tier school examinations in the country include Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM), Malaysian Vocational Certificate (SVM) as well as international equivalent examination.
"The date for the reopening of the schools was decided after taking into consideration the views and advice from the Health Ministry and the National Security Council (NSC).
"We hope parents and guardians will ensure their children are healthy before sending them to school," Mohd Radzi said during the live telecast, which was aired on TV3, RTM, Bernama TV and Astro Awani.
The reopening of schools for other classes, he said, will be made in stages.
"The Education Ministry will make an announcement on the matter from time to time," he added.
The school year was suspended following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 and subsequently, the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on May 4.
Radzi said the guidelines to reopen the schools had been endorsed by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council.
"The guidelines have been tested at 12 schools under the Education Ministry and at eight private learning institutions in early May," he said.