We are concerned parents and our concern is shared by scores of other parents in Johor Bahru. We are worried about the well-being of our school-going children in view of the current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) scare.

Please consider these facts:

Fact: The largest congregation of people daily is in the schools. Millions of school children go through this daily throughout Malaysia. In Singapore, 600,000 children congregate and the authorities saw it fit to close schools temporarily to allay the fears of parents. We are being told by the authorities to avoid crowded places so please prevent our children from congregating in schools for the time being.

Fact: Schools are generally lacking in cleanliness. Toilets are filthy and classrooms are irregularly cleaned. For Sars, prevention is the main thing. There is no cure. We are being told to maintain hygiene. How are we going to do this in schools and ensure it is sustained?

Fact: School children, especially primary school children, will be difficult to control as they will not be able to comprehend the duty of care required to maintain hygiene and this will worsen the situation.

Fact: Johor Bahru is o­ne of the most exposed frontiers to Sars there are thousands of transients going through Johor Bahru. The exposure to school children is enormous and real. When the children congregate in schools the bug can be passed o­n easily.

The list of facts can go o­n to illustrate why Johor Bahru schools are in a precarious position.

So please close the schools temporarily. Please allow for this cooling-off period of at least two weeks. Please instruct the education authorities to clean up the schools. Please keep the public informed o­n Sars and prevention procedures.

The policy which was announced over the news o­n April 4 and 5 by the Education Ministry, that schools will o­nly be closed when 25 percent of the students are down with Sars is absurd. We cannot accept this.

Do the authorities expect teachers to keep a lookout for children with symptoms when the teachers are not going to be equipped to do this will they be given N-95 masks and gloves to take temperatures? Do they seriously think that transferring the o­nus to teachers is going to prevent any thing?

Please do not deny us parents the chance to save our children. Please heed our request. Please close the schools in Johor Bahru temporarily.

This email is sent o­n the request of scores of worried parents.