So cool to go back to school

PETALING JAYA: Skeptical parents, who had concerns allowing Year Five and Six pupils resume classes amid the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, were greeted by an ocean of calm when dropping their children off at schools.

SJK (C) Sentul board of directors chairman Datuk Eddie Heng Hong Chai, who started welcoming pupils at the school gate as early as 6.30am, said he was proud of pupils’ composed demeanour when they arrived at school before the crack of dawn yesterday.

“They were briefed about the standard operating procedure (SOP) on Tuesday via Google Meet. The school provided them with circulars, reminders and an instructional video on following the SOP that was shot by the teachers.

“The video allows pupils to better understand the do’s and don’ts of the new norm. We are so happy to have pupils back as it has been too quiet without them around,” he said.

Describing their first day back at school as “smooth sailing”, he said the SOP would continue to be tweaked and improved on.

“The children’s safety is the most important thing,” said Heng, who is also Malaysian Chinese Language Council president.

The school has been preparing to welcome the pupils back since May, he said, adding the board of directors had forked out over RM10,000 to provide a thermometer to each pupil as well as RM50,000 to build 24 new automatic taps and soap dispensers in an effort to inculcate the habit of washing hands.

SK Taman Megah Parent-Teacher Association chairman Datuk Lawrence Low was also pleasantly surprised that the children remained calm even though they were visibly happy to be in school again after four months of being “banished”.

“Everyone was calm. Pupils were given a briefing in the morning on the new norm and SOP and parents were kept well informed prior to the opening.

“The PTA also provides daily updates to parents,” he said.

Everyone in school, including canteen operators, cleaners, teachers and pupils, were cooperative, said Low.

He said it was a relief that pupils were now allowed to resume classes as they could start catching up on their lessons.

SJK (C) Sentul Year Five pupils Maya Mrithika Vijayandran, Siti Mysara Ahmad Rizal, Elvis Ong and Yap Zi Yi were glad to return to their “second home”.

They were among the 133 Year Five and Six pupils studying at SJK (C) Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.

When the alarm clock rang at 5.30am, Maya Mrithika sprang up from her comfortable bed to get ready for school which she dearly missed.

“I was really looking forward to getting back to class with my friends and teachers,” said the lass who kept her mask on at all times.

Siti Mysara said she felt happy and a little shy when returning to school.

“For the last four months, I’ve been used to being at home where there are few people. Suddenly there are a lot of pupils with me now. I would have to get used to this,” she said.

“It is easier to come to school and learn,” she said, adding that she preferred face-to-face classes which were more interactive and easy to understand.

Noting that the new seating arrangements in accordance with the SOP allowed him to have more personal space, Elvis said the new practices were good but he would still need a little time to get used to the new norm.

An excited Zi Yi said the SOP made her feel safe enough to resume learning in school.

Meanwhile, SJK (C) Sentul Year Six pupil S. Mithllesh was also confident about the SOP.

“I feel good about the SOP because if any of the students showed symptoms like fever, the temperature check will detect that and the student will be sent home,” said Mithllesh.

Although worried about her two children, aged 11 and 12, Sharifah Thuraizah Sayid Hasan, 40, was confident that she had taken enough precautionary measures to protect her children from Covid-19.

“I’ve prepared my children with their own individual emergency pouch which includes a bottle of hand sanitiser, an extra face mask, a pack of wet tissue and a pack of portable soap paper.

“My children take the van to school and now that transporters also have to adhere to the social distancing guidelines, there are more trips but with fewer people in the same van,” she said.

Sharifah Thuraizah added that her children – who have been briefed about the SOP – had no trouble waking up early to catch their ride as they were excited to see their friends.

A homemaker from Klang who wanted to be known as Pauline believes that her daughter will be safe in school.

“I felt worried at first, but now I’m glad that schools have resumed because face-to-face lessons would be better for my daughter. I also get to meet up with my friends and teachers at school,” said Pauline, who had prepared sandwiches for her daughter to munch on during recess.

“She was really cheerful and excited to return to school,” she said.

Noting that the response the school received yesterday was “great”, SK Sri Maulana, Pekan, headmaster Yusaini Mohd Paman, 53, said: “We recorded perfect attendance on the first day of school!”

In regards to the school’s preparations to make sure the parents abide by the new normal, Yusaini said: “The school has informed and distributed SOP to prepare the parents on sending their children to and picking them up from school.”

“We have been preparing to reopen since June. We did face some challenges, especially the setting up of hand washing stations,” he said.