SCHOOL doors will be open once again for students from March 1, beginning with preschoolers and primary school pupils, and several parents have given mixed views over the decision made and announced by the Federal Government recently.
For housewife Anna Sim, 38, she is fine with sending you her kids back to school but hopes the teachers will play their roles by regularly monitoring the movement of the kids, especially during activities that would involve physical interaction.
“For secondary students, I believe they would be more aware of the current situation and would very likely be able to abide by the strict measures imposed.
“It may not necessarily be the same for primary pupils. They are more likely to commit themselves in physical interactions than secondary students.
“As for me, online lessons can stay interactive and interesting only until some point, at least for primary kids.
“So, I believe it is a good move by the Government to reopen schools, but probably it could have been done in a more time-friendly manner to allow parents and kids to prepare,” she told Buletin Mutiara during the phone interview today.
Anna is a mother of three handsome boys, including two who are still primary pupils, namely Ayden See, 12, and Marvin See, nine.
Both the boys are currently studying at SJK(C) Kwang Hwa located at Sungai Nibong in Bayan Lepas.
According to Anna, both her sons are ever excited to return to resume studies and meet their friends at school.
Meanwhile, another parent Norul Akma Zain, 35, a journalist, said she is not prepared to send her son Mohammed Khaliff Afnan Aziz back to school for an obvious reason, which is the ongoing surge in Covid-19 cases recently.
“The cases are still relatively high and the Government has to consider the well-being of students, especially primary school kids.
“Although my son misses going back to school, he has adapted quite well with online lessons and that is a good sign as he is able to balance between face-to-face and online learning,” she said.
Muhammad Hafiz Ahmad, 33, a senior programme executive, said he is not prepared to send his daughter back to school as well.
“I personally feel that it was a hasty decision by the Federal Government to reopen schools, knowing that the daily cases are still hitting the over 2,000-mark nationwide.
“As for my daughter, her experience of going back to school post movement control order (MCO) that was implemented last year, would be helpful for her to adapt to the strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“When I asked if she was excited to return to school, without hesitation, she said yes!
“I hope the teachers will stay vigilant and always keep an eye on the kids,” Hafiz said during the interview.
His daughter Aisyah Humaira, eight, goes to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Minden Heights in Gelugor.
Anne Clara, 50, a housewife, expressed her concerns that reopening schools for primary pupils is not the best thing to do now.
“Although my vote would undoubtedly be for face-to-face lessons for kids, but at recent times where the cases are still high, it is definitely not the last resort to ask kids to return to schools,” she said.
Anne has four children, the youngest of them is aged nine and goes to SJK(T) Subramaniya Barathee in Gelugor.
The Federal Government had recently announced that those in pre-school, Year One and Year Two would resume face-to-face classes on March 1 while Year Three to Year Six would return on March 8.
As for secondary schools, students in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will start on April 4, while students in other states will return on April 5.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud and parents