By Aisyah Suhiri
KUCHING: Some parents may have a lifelong dream of sending their children to study abroad but due to Covid-19, which is presently impacting the world, this option has become difficult for some.
In a recent random poll around the state capital, parents gave mixed opinions on their preferred tertiary education for their children.
Most of them said that they would opt to send their children to study overseas despite the pandemic, while others prefer their children to study locally due to concerns about their children’s health and livelihood.
Norliza Salleh, a parent, prefers her children to complete their education abroad instead of locally despite the ongoing pandemic.
“The risk element is the same whether overseas or locally, but I’d prefer to send my children overseas.” said the 54-year-old.
She added that studying abroad will offer greater life experiences for her children.
“Studying overseas allow children to not only learn new things in school but also learn to live life independently without much help from their parents.
“They can learn how to survive on their own in a foreign country when exposed to new cultures and environment,” she said.
Meanwhile, another parent, Masniah Ali supported Norliza’s view on sending off her children to study overseas.
“Since most people are vaccinated, I’d let my children study abroad instead of locally,” she said.
She added that studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and that children should grab the chance to explore the world outside of their comfort zone.
On the other hand, 54-year-old Nafiah Mahrup said she would prefer for her children to further their studies locally due to the pandemic.
“Studying locally is the safest option for my children. I worry about their well-being since the deadly virus shows signs that it’s not going anywhere just yet,” she said.
