KUCHING: Schools could be off limits to all students except for Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) candidates during the examination next week, if the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in the state worsens.

This is one of three scenarios the State Education Department is preparing in its bid to ensure that the public examination can go on as smoothly as possible. ,The department’s director Julaihi Bujang said however, that before classes were restricted only to examination candidates, schools must first get the approval from the district education officer.

According to Julaihi, other steps to be taken are to allow candidates who have been warded to take the examination in hospital, and those having the influenza-like illness symptoms to sit for the exam in separate room.

There will be 46,311 candidates from 1,263 schools throughout Sarawak sitting for the UPSR from Sept 8 to 10. From the total, 34,392 candidates will sit for the UPSR in the Bahasa Melayu medium while the rest of the 11,919 will sit for the UPSR in Chinese.

“As a step towards controlling the H1N1 and ensuring the examination go on smoothly, we would like to ask for the cooperation of parents to inform the school management on their children’s health condition … whether they have the symptoms or not,” Julaihi said in a press statement yesterday.

He said those who had the symptoms must wear the face mask at all times and bring along a hand sanitizer as well as practise proper hygiene at all times.

Examination candidates are also advised to stay away from crowded places so that they do not run the risk of getting infected.

According to Julaihi, 176 coordinators and 4,621 invigilators will be assigned to help manage the examination. All candidates are reminded to know their exam schedules and bring along their birth certificates, identification forms, their identity card and entry slips every day during the examination period.

The assessment and examination sector of the Education Department can be reached at 082-276336/082-428403 or its units in the various divisions.

The numbers to call are 082-240568/242254 (Kuching), 082-628177 (Samarahan), 083-322581 (Sri Aman), 083-472595 (Betong), 084-651761 (Sarikei), 084-332443 (Sibu), 084-871259 (Mukah), 084-796362 (Kapit), 086-330541 (Bintulu), 085-416485 (Miri) and 085-211150 (Limbang).

In Kuala Lumpur, Bernama reports that a total of 517,908 candidates nationwide will be sitting for the UPSR examination.

Of them, 510,125 (98.5 per cent) are from government schools and government-aided schools, and 7,783 (1.5 per cent) from private schools.

Selangor has the biggest number of candidates with 91,428 students while Putrajaya has the smallest number with 1,034 candidates.

A total of 8,289 examination centres with 32,944 personnel will be mobilised.

For the first time, the candidates will be sitting for the Standard Six Aptitude Test on the final day of the examination.