Sagah explains why boarders stopped from going home for Good Friday

Sagah (second left) gestures during a demonstration held at the Sarawak Skills Development Centre. At left is Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) chief executive officer Dato Norhalim Yunus. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

KUCHING (April 28): Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the issue of Christian boarders of a school in Serian not being allowed to go back to their villages for Good Friday and Easter – brought up by Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii – was politically motivated.

Sagah said with Dr Yii’s medical training, the MP should have understood that the reason for stopping the students from going back to their villages was to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“Even a person who has no medical background like me understands the importance of keeping students safe from being infected by the deadly virus,” he said when asked for his opinion on the issue, during a press conference at the Sarawak Skills Development Centre here yesterday.

He explained a directive from the Ministry of Health (MoH) was the reason why the students were not allowed to go home for the Good Friday observance recently.

“Taking into account the situation of Covid-19 at that time, the MoH through standard operating procedures (SOP) has decided that students who live in hostels are better off not having to go home.

“This was what happened in Serian at the time.”

Dr Yii issued a statement on April 16, saying that Education officers should be considerate to students who wanted to celebrate their religious festivals.

According to him, the District Education Office or State Education Department should be empowered to make decisions for the schools under their jurisdiction to allow boarding students to go home for Good Friday and Easter.

“This is in view of a reported notice given by the State Education Department based on a circular set by the Ministry of Education not to allow Christian students from the school in Serian to go back for the Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

“As we are aware, such celebrations are important among the Christian community which may be the majority in the area. Thus they should be allowed and given special considerations to be with their families during the Holy Week,” Dr Yii said in his statement.

from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/AHKFO3t
via IFTTT