Is my child going back to school in October 2021? Check here

Today, the Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) in a live press conference on FB announced the instructions for going back to school in October 2021. Will your child be affected? 

It was an hour long press conference and everything was covered in the presentation from preschool right up to university levels. However, for the purpose of this post, we will simplify it to focus only on preschool, primary and secondary schools. 

We have organized the information according to states and level, so you can quickly jump to the one that is relevant to you. However, firstly, let's have a look at the important points that affect everyone.

8 things to note about the latest announcement by KPM on going back to school in October 2021

1. The academic school year has been extended to March 2022. This means that if your child is in Std 6 in the year 2021, he will continue to be in Std 6 in January and February 2022. He will then advance to Form 1 in March 2022. Likewise for all other standards. 

2. Std 1 2022 will start school in March 2022.

3. Students who have outgrown their school uniforms may wear clothes that are neat and appropriate to school.

4. Parents who choose not to send their kids to school may do so by giving the school notice in writing. This will not be considered a disciplinary offence. 

5. Back to school will be done in stages in a hybrid manner by weekly rotation.

6. There will be a mask mandate in school ie it will be compulsory to wear masks in schools.

7. PJPK (Pendidikan Jasmani Pendidikan Kesihatan) or Physical Education classes is allowed provided kids come to school in their gym uniforms. 

8. Extra curricular activities is not allowed.

Back to school will be done in stages according to phases as set out in the National Recovery Plan (NRP) or PPN (Pelan Pemulihan Negara)

What this means to parents in the following states.
Note that the phases are as at the time in writing on 12 September 2021.
PdPR = (Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran di Rumah) or Home-based Teaching and Learning

Phase 1 - Kedah and Johor *

- Preschool - not allowed to open
- Primary school (Std 1 to Std 6) - PdPR
- Secondary School (Form 1 to Form 6) - PdPR

Phase 2 - Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Melaka, Selangor, WP Kuala  Lumpur and WP Putrajaya *

- Preschool - not allowed to open (except to parents who are both frontliners)
- Primary school (Std 1 to Std 6) = PdPR
- Secondary School
(Form 1 to Form 5) - PdPR
(Form 6 Semester 2 students and students sitting for International examinations including IGCSE O-Level & A-Level, Australian Higher School Certificate and IBDP) and students at special needs schools - fully back to school with no rotation

Phase 3 - Perlis, Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan *

- Preschool - fully back to school with no rotation

- Primary school

• (Std 1 to Std 6) - PdPR 
• students at special needs school - fully back to school with no rotation

- Secondary school

• Form 1 to Form 4 = PdPR
• (Form 6 Semester 2 students and students sitting for International examinations including IGCSE O-Level & A-Level, Australian Higher School Certificate and IBDP) and students at special needs school - fully back to school with no rotation
• Form 5 (SPM, STAM, SVM), other Form 6 (STPM) students, other international exam students - back to hybrid school on weekly rotation
  
• boarding schools, sports school and art school - fully back to school with no rotation

Phase 4 - Labuan *

3/4 Oct - 17/18 Oct 2021

Preschool - fully back to school with no rotation
Primary school - PdPR 
Special needs school - fully back to school with no rotation

Secondary school 
- Form 1 - Form 4 = PdPR
- exam students Form 5, Form 6 , special needs school, boarding school (exam students) and international exams students = back to school fully with no rotation


17/18 Oct - 31 Oct/1 Nov 2021

Preschool - fully back to school with no rotation
Primary school
- Std 4 - 6 = PdPR 
- Std 1 - 3 = Back to hybrid school on weekly rotation
Special needs school - fully back to school with no rotation

Secondary school 
- Remove Class, Form 1 & 2 = PdPR
- Form 3 & 4 = Back to hybrid school on weekly rotation
- exam students Form 5, Form 6 , special needs school, boarding school (exam students plus Form 3 & 4) and international exams students = back to school fully with no rotation


31 Oct/1 Nov - 10/11 Dec 2021

Preschool - fully back to school with no rotation
Primary school
- Std 1 - 6 = Hybrid school on weekly rotation
Special needs school - fully back to school with no rotation

Secondary school 
- Form 1 - Form 4 in public, private and international schools = back to school on weekly rotation
- exam students Form 5, Form 6 , special needs school, boarding school (all students) and international exams students = back to school fully with no rotation

In short, primary school students continue with home-based teaching and learning or PdPR until their state reaches Phase 4.

* Updated information wef 24 September 2021.

The following changes have been announced by KPM (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia) in a press statement dated 24 September 2021. 

The following states have entered a new phase and will therefore follow the rules for the new phase within 2 weeks of the change.

Johor 

To follow Phase 2 rules starting from 10 October 2021

Pahang

To follow Phase 3 rules starting from 11 October 2021

Negeri Sembilan

To follow Phase 4 rules starting from 18 October 2021

Kedah

Still in Phase 1. However, Form 6 Sem 2 and IGCSE O-Level students will now attend physical class without rotation. Other students continue with PdPR starting from 10 October 2021

Pulau Langkawi 

As Pulau Langkawi is in a travel bubble and is now in Phase 4, schools shall follow Phase 4 rules starting from 3 October 2021

Please refer to the full press statement below.

Note that the states in the phases are as at today 12th September 2021. However should your state move to the next phase in the NRP, schools will have 2 weeks to transition to the new phase.

 


*Key

PPN = Plan Pemulihan Negara
PdPR = Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran di Rumah
IPS = Institusi pendidikan swasta
MBK = Murid Berkeperluan Khas (special kids)
SKPK = Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas (school for special kids)
PPKI = Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (integrated education program for special kids)
Tahap 1 refers to Std 1 - Std 3
Tahap 2 refers to Std 4 - Std 6
SMKPK = Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas
SMPKV = Sekolah Menengah Pendidikan Khas Vokasional

** Things may change or be clarified by MOE (Ministry of Education) over time.

References:

View the press conference by Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia in its entirety here.
Check for latest SOP for the different phases as well as which phase your state is currently at from here.