KUCHING: Schools opened their doors today with stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place for teachers and students.
Despite the alarming number of Covid-19 cases and declaration of movement control order (MCO) nationwide except for Sarawak, parents are supportive of the decision made by the Ministry of Education (MoE).
With major public examinations scheduled in the next few months, parents are of the opinion that learning in a classroom environment is crucial in their children’s preparations.
Mohamad Tomizi, 40, an assistant supervisor at a private company, said it was wise of the MoE to allow students sitting for public examinations to return to school.
He was confident that students, including his daughter Nurfitriyani, 18, would be well behaved and adapt to the new normal.
“Just like any parent, of course I am concerned about my daughter’s wellbeing. However, I am more concerned about her education and I want her to complete high school.
“I believe that my daughter and the other students are mature enough to take care of themselves. They are aware of the current situation and the importance of complying with SOP.”
He added that despite concerns, he was delighted to see Nurfitriyani and her friends in high spirits for the new school term.
“I can tell that they’re excited and happy to see each other after missing school for so long. I hope that they will be more motivated to study and challenge each other to do their best for the upcoming examinations.”
Meanwhile, Siti Khajijah Bolhassan, 52, was also optimistic about the new school term as it gave students a more conducive learning environment.
The homemaker said students would have the opportunity to interact with their teachers while also sharing ideas with their peers.
“Even though I have created a room for online learning in our home, there are still too many interruptions or distractions at home. It is good that the students will be able to interact with the teachers like it used to be.
“I believe that going back to school has more positives than negatives, especially in terms of having more interaction with the teachers and conducting discussions face-to-face when they are assigned group work.”
Siti Khadijah pointed out that necessary precautionary measures were implemented at her daughter’s school, including other schools throughout the state.
“Despite worrying about the children’s wellbeing during the pandemic, I’m positive that all schools have placed the necessary precautions to protect them.”
Noraini Mohd Jalil, 37, said the reopening of schools would allow teachers to evaluate the students’ readiness for the examinations.
She added that parents would always worry about their children, “but it is important to let them learn to take care of themselves.”
“It is in our nature as parents to worry about our children even before Covid-19 existed. However, they can learn better in school and teachers will be able to evaluate their performance then guide them accordingly.”
