Pupils in primary schools and those in Form 1 to Form 4 in MCO states will undergo online learning from Jan 20, when the regular school year was to begin.

However, private kindergartens in MCO states are allowed to stay open.

Schoolchildren in other states, including those in private schools and international schools, will follow their regular school calendar.

The MCO states are Selangor, Penang, Melaka, Johor, Sabah and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya. A 14-day partial lockdown has been ordered from Wednesday, with domestic travel banned and social activities restricted.

In those states, students taking one of six public examinations, and related international examinations, will be allowed back at school. The public examinations are:

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM) for 2020 and 2021.

Those in boarding schools are allowed to return from Jan 16 onwards. The schools will issue travel permission letters.

The 2021 school year begins on Jan 20 for all government schools and government-assisted schools and ends on Dec 9 in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu and on Dec 10 in the other states and territories.