Students happy, relieved to be back in school

Another step: A Form Six student checks her temperature as she arrives at SMK Putatan, Kota Kinabalu. — Bernama

KEPALA BATAS: The minute 19-year-old Nor Anis Amirah Mohamad Shuhairy woke up at 6am, the thought of getting back into the deep red blazer of her uniform snapped her wide awake.

“The first thing on my mind was meeting my teachers and seeing my friends again,” said the fully vaccinated Form Six Semester Two student when met outside her school yesterday.

She was among the 66 students of SM Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi on the mainland who could not contain their excitement on their first day of school after nearly six months of online learning.

Sarah Humairah Mohd Zamri, 19, was another happy lass, though she admitted to having worries of unwittingly contracting Covid-19.

“But after getting two doses of the vaccine, I am confident that I am protected from the virus,” she said.

Sarah Humairah said her teachers repeatedly reminded all students to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) a few days before school reopening.

Virus aside, she could not wait to see her friends again and catch up on physical lessons to prepare for her examinations, she added.

Muhammad Afeq Haiqal was just relieved to be back in the physical classroom.

“I prefer to learn at school compared with online classes.

“Studying without teachers’ supervision is quite troublesome,” said the 19-year-old.

Muhammad Afeq said he was all set to be vigilant and most of all, to keep a distance from everyone while at school, to minimise the risk of infection.

A total of 106 schools in the state reopened yesterday for Form Six Semester Two and Special Education Integration Programme students.

The students at SM Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi were greeted on arrival by North Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor, district education office chief Rosli Ibrahim and principal Adnan Idris.

ACP Noorzainy said he was satisfied with the SOP compliance by students in the district and promised continuous monitoring.

Penang is under Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan.