KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Sin Chew Daily) — Education director-general Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim said all SPM and SVM (Malaysia Vocational Certificate) candidates will end their face-to-face teaching at school on February 9.

Habibah pointed out in a letter to state education departments yesterday that the decision had been made to allow students to prepare at home before their examinations start on February 22.

She said students staying at hostels must remain in their hostels. However, if they wish to celebrate the Chinese New Year with their families, they would be allowed to go home after February 9, and would be quarantined for ten days upon their return to the hostels, during which arrangements would be made for them to sit for their examinations in special classrooms.

As for students who wish to remain at home, Habibah said they could go to the nearest designated exam hall to sit for the exam, but their parents or guardians must inform the school authorities of their decisions latest by February 9.