PUTRAJAYA: The school session after the current mid-year break will continue with Home-based Teaching and Learning (PdPR) for 25 days, said Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

The new session is from June 13 to July 15 for Group A schools in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, and from June 14 to July 16 for Group B schools in Perlis, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

All private, international and expatriate schools registered with the Education Ministry should also implement PdPR throughout this period according to their own calendars, he told a virtual press conference today.

Radzi said the arrangement for the school session after this period would also be announced one week before the end of the mid-term holidays.

The mid-term break for Group A schools is from July 16 to July 24 while that for Group B is from July 17 to July 25.

Radzi said the PdPR session would be implemented to suit the needs and requirements of students and teachers in view that educators know the ability of their students better.

He said the Education Ministry was aware of complaints that the PdPR 2.0 manual required students to follow many subjects, but it should be noted that the manual was only a guide for teachers to achieve the optimum situation to teach their students.

"Teachers are in a better position to determine the best approach, and that is why our focus is on overall student outcomes," he added

Radzi said the effectiveness of PdPR had increased compared to the time it was first implemented last year when many had not yet adapted well to online teaching and learning.

On the ministry's DidikTV, Radzi said it would continue with 15 hours of transmission daily based on the syllabus of the subject concerned, while the slot for education TV would proceed on RTM's TV Okey for two hours and Astro Tutor TV for four hours every day.

Asked if examination classes would be given priority to resume face-to-face learning, he said: "If the ministry decides to allow students to return to school, yes, examination class students will be the first, (but) the dates will be announced later."

Meanwhile, on appeals for enrolment in specialised schools, Radzi said the results on the appeals to enter fully residential schools (SBP), Religious National Secondary Schools (SMKA), Vocational Colleges (KV), Technical Secondary Schools (SMT) and Special Vocational Education Secondary Schools (SMPKV) would be announced on June 8.

Online registration for successful students will be on June 13 for Group A schools and June 14 for Group B schools.

-- BERNAMA