Kindergartens have been ordered to close by the Ministry of Education.

[ASEAN NOW]

 

Because children under the age of five have not been vaccinated against Covid-19, the Ministry of Education has ordered all kindergartens to close until further notice.

The order came just hours after Prime Minister Hun Sen declared yesterday at the inauguration of the Ministry of Land Management's New Office Building, "I don't advocate all kindergartens reopening yet." It has things it shouldn't be doing."

 

"Because the kindergarten level comprises children under the age of five, they are unvaccinated and do not yet fall into the category of needing to be vaccinated." We must persevere and take things one step at a time. “Don't be too quick,” he cautioned.

 

He went on to say that only elementary schools and higher should be reopened, not kindergartens, and that this should be done gradually.

 

In a statement, the Education Ministry requested all kindergartens to postpone reopening in accordance with the Prime Minister's advice for the safety and welfare of the children.

 

More than 280,000 unvaccinated pupils to stay home

 

The government will notify on the re-opening of kindergartens once the five-year-old children have been immunized as part of the ongoing vaccination program.

 

There are 5,003 kindergarten schools and 10,357 kindergarten classes, including 132 in pagodas, according to Education Statistics and Indicators Public and Private Institutions 2016-2020. These kindergartens have a total of 289,136 students and 5,414 teachers.

 

The Ministry of Education, according to Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron, will carry with the Prime Minister's request.

 

Meas Chorpaon, the director of Norodom Primary School in Phnom Penh, told Khmer Times yesterday that the school had reopened three kindergartens, each with 13 to 16 students, and that they were following the Education Ministry's stringent Covid-19 measures, not just for kindergarten students but for all primary school students.

"I support Prime Minister Hun Sen's and the Ministry of Education's instruction since I am well aware that unvaccinated little children have a significant chance of contracting the Covid-19 virus, particularly its variations," he added.

 

"In all classrooms, the school rigorously follows the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and health precautions, whether students are vaccinated or not. “I agree that tiny children under the age of five are still at risk,” Chorpaon stated.

 

Sovannaphumi School operations director Kong Veasna told Khmer Times yesterday that schools, including kindergartens, should begin in stages, with three levels based on age: low, middle, and high.

 

"We only permitted children aged four and five to attend high-level lessons this week, and we planned to open next week after assessing the situation," she said. But now, given the Ministry's declaration, we'll conclude the case and wait for more information," he continued.

 

According to an investigation by Khmer Times, not all kindergartens in some schools are open.

 

Quach Mengly, the founder, chairman, and CEO of MJQ Education, told Khmer Times yesterday that tiny children having direct access to education at schools at this time when the Covid-19 is still settling has negative consequences.

 

"As Covid-19 and its derivatives have taken many lives, we can't do business without thinking about the health concerns to little children," he continued.

 

Mengly claimed that MJQ Education has yet to establish suitable kindergarten programs because they believe that little children are still vulnerable to the dangerous illness.

 

"At all levels, we have yet to open kindergarten courses," he added.

 

Meanwhile, Heng Rathy, the mother of a four-year-old daughter, expressed her concern when kindergartens reopened, stating that she was concerned about her daughter acquiring the deadly disease and refused to send her to class.

 

She continued, "I liked her studying online because it is much safer than traveling to the kindergarten and being exposed to the teachers and children."

 

Rathy said she is not worried of becoming infected, but she is concerned about her child, who is too young to be protected by a vaccine.

 

Pov Pisey, a mother of a three-year-old kid, said she let her child attend kindergarten despite her fears and prayers that he would not be infected with the virus.

 

"I'm sending him to school because I don't want his academic performance to suffer." Now that my son has a fever and the flu, I'm concerned he's contaminated. "I don't have the courage to do a quick test because I'm afraid it may come out positive," Pisey explained.

 

Sok Chan, a father of a four-year-old girl, said he supports Mr Hun Sen's decision to close kindergartens since it is still risky for tiny children to attend school, particularly those aged five and under.

 

He believes that all children, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, should be in a safe learning environment, and that online learning for kindergarten students is still preferable.

 

Credit Source: Khmer Times

 

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[RJRS1301]

31 minutes ago, ASEAN NOW said:

Pov Pisey, a mother of a three-year-old kid, said she let her child attend kindergarten despite her fears and prayers that he would not be infected with the virus.

Fears and prayers, somewhat useless when dealing with a virus.

Speedy recovery to him.

 

[StellaM]

I think it's a good idea. Health is the most important. Of course for working parents it's complictaed when kids are at home, but what can we change