PUTRAJAYA: The government will review the Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in schools following the increasing number of education clusters, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
"So far, no categories 4 and 5 (severe Covid-19) cases have been detected in schools.
"We ask that the risk assessment is done school by school. Hybrid teaching-and-learning could be implemented but only for affected classes, not the whole school," he said in a press conference today.
He said any further school closures would affect the students' education and wellbeing.
Khairy said school closures, as such, was out of the question unless there was a serious outbreak, which would then be discussed with the Education Ministry.
He said the increase in cases among students were found to be caused by complacency and lack of SOP compliance.
"Among the issues are lack of personal hygiene, ventilation and students not wearing mask.
"If we are to close the schools due to the cases, it would mean we are turning back the clock. Malaysia was one of the countries with the longest school closures."
On a separate matter, Khairy said the ministry has finalised and presented the SOP for Johor state election to the National Security Council and Election Commission.
He had earlier announced 85 new clusters registered in epidemiological week 5, with 353 clusters are active.
He said 52 or 58.4 per cent of them comprised education clusters, followed by 20 workplace clusters (22.5 per cent), seven community clusters (7.9 per cent), six among high-groups (6.7 per cent), three at detention centres (3.4 per cent) and one (1.1 per cent) religious group.