The Kulai MP said that while she had nothing against screening pupils for Covid-19, the teachers were not provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) to carry out safe testing.

“Is this a reasonable plan or one that poses risks to teachers?” she asked when debating the Supply Bill 2022 at the committee stage for the health ministry.

“Whose plan is this? The education ministry or the health ministry? Whichever ministry it is, have they taken the teachers into account?

“I have no problems with students undergoing testing, but we have to protect our teachers,” she said.

Teo noted that while MPs were tested twice a week at Parliament, these screenings are conducted by health ministry officials who are in “gloves, facemasks and full PPE”.

On Nov 26, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that from Nov 29, primary schools would need to test at least 10% of their pupils every week as part of the national Covid-19 testing strategy (NTS).

He said the tests would be done on a rotation basis to avoid new clusters from emerging.

The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) has vehemently opposed the move, stating that the measure was risky as teachers would not be provided with any PPE.