KOTA KINABALU: Primary schools in the state capital here are complying with standard operating procedures (SOP), with safety markings in place as well as tables spaced out as they prepare for the second phase of school reopening tomorrow.
At Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Gaya, a school located on the Gaya island about 15 minutes by boat from here, preparations had begun earlier as the preschool session reopened July 1.
Its headmaster Abdul Rahman Zainon said the school had implemented the SOPs set by the Ministry of Education since June 24.
"Among the preparations include the placing of stickers to serve as path guides, in accordance with the set guidelines. These guidelines are designed to protect students from Covid-19.
"All tables in the classrooms are also arranged according to the one-metre distancing rule from shoulder to shoulder of the pupils.
"However, the number of tables for each class depends on the size of the classroom itself," he said when met at the school today, adding SK Gaya has 481 Primary 5 and Primary 6 pupils.
Tomorrow, 96,749 pupils in Sabah, involving Year 5, Year 6 and the Special Education Integration programme, are expected to return to schools.
For the other 195,663 Primary 1 to Primary 4 pupils, they will return to school on July 22.
SK Darau headmaster Ahmad Roshni Mohd Khalid said they had also put in place necessary measures and route plans to guide the pupils under the new normal.
"All students who enter the school compound must go through body temperature screening first. This will be carried out by the security guards. Their temperatures, however, will not be recorded.
"Those with a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius will be placed at isolation rooms.
"Those who passed the security guard's temperature screening will again have their body temperature tested and recorded by the on duty teachers before they are allowed to enter their respective classrooms," he said, adding that everyone must use hand sanitisers.