IPOH: The management of SK Meru Raya got volunteers to dress up as cartoon characters to welcome pupils on the first day of school.
The volunteers in Mickey and Minnie Mouse outfits, as well as Bumblebee from the Transformers franchise, greeted the children as they entered the school grounds early morning yesterday.
Fathiah Husna Mohd Pauzi said her seven-year-old niece Ulyaa Maisarah Mohamad was excited to go to school.
“Her mother is working in Selangor and she stays with her grandfather in Chemor. I was on leave, so I decided to send her to school.
“She didn’t cry and was in a great mood when we came here.
“She was also happy to see the mascots greeting her. We even took pictures with them,” she added.
Housewife Ayu Firdaus, 38, said her daughter Aleena made friends during the orientation day earlier.
“The orientation day was held a few weeks ago and Aleena was quite nervous during that time.
“But her teachers did a great job, and my daughter is now excited to go to school.
“She even made some new friends and was eager to go to school,” she said, adding that she gave RM3 to her daughter to buy food at the school canteen.
Perak Education Department director Mohamad Fauzi Mahson, who visited the school, said 342,482 students and pupils started their first day of school in the state.
Of that figure, 151,222 are secondary school students and the remaining 191,260 are primary pupils.
Mohamad Fauzi said there are more than 37,000 teachers in Perak.
“From the figure, 16,887 are teaching at 253 secondary schools, while 20,441 are stationed at 852 primary schools.
“A total of 242 of them are new teachers, comprising 169 teachers in secondary schools and 73 in primary schools,” he added.
