Education Ministry's permission required to visit schools

GEORGE TOWN: The Education Ministry must grant permission to those who want to enter schools, according to Penang Education Department director Shaari Osman.
He said the public needs to adhere to proper procedures before entering schools for formal matters or on official business.
"Regulations must be followed before allowing someone to enter, the interest of the school must be taken into account," he said in a press conference today.
He however did not want to prolong the issue and declined to elaborate when questioned further.
Shaari was asked to respond to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who was puzzled after he was not given permission to enter SJK(C) Sungai Lembu last week.
His office had applied to do so on Sept 5 but a Sept 6 Education Department letter stated any Chief Minister or Mentri Besar wanting to enter schools needed the permission of the Education Minister.
Meanwhile, Shaari said there was a total of 21,656 candidates sitting for the UPSR in Penang from Sept 11 to Sept 18 at 281 government schools and eight private schools.
He said four candidates will however be taking their examinations in hospital where two of them are at the Penang Hospital, one at Hospital Balik Pulau and one at Pantai Hospital.
Shaari also said the department has taken measures to mitigate the effect of floods for candidates in flood prone areas.
"I pray the weather will be good throughout the examination period," he added after visiting SJK(C) Kwang Hwa in Sungai Nibong here.
One of those taking her examination at the Penang hospital was Nur Irdiana Mohd Shah from SK Teluk Bahang.
She was warded after suffering a fractured right leg following an accident on Sept 9 while on her way to tuition.
When contacted, her mother, Siti Norbaiyah binti Basheer, 39, said her daughter was in good spirits to sit for the exam despite the accident.
"I hope she will do well and top the exam with flying colours," she said and hoped her daughter will also recover soon.