JOHOR BARU: School closures due to the haze have forced parents to juggle work and their children’s home-based learning, with some struggling to provide the equipment needed for schoolwork.
For self-employed Suhaimi Idris, 51, the disruption is particularly worrying as his youngest son is sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination soon.
He said his son relied on a mobile phone for his studies as the family did not have a computer, laptop or printer at home.
“We have to take turns staying at home or bring him to a nearby shop to print out the schoolwork given by his teachers,” he said.
Trader Rohana Abdul Kadir, 42, said home-based learning was challenging as she and her husband both worked and have four school-going children – two in secondary school, one in primary school and the youngest in kindergarten.
“It is very difficult ... We have to print out many worksheets given by their teachers, and the children can only do their work at night after we return home.”
Lawyer Norman Fernandez, 50, said he and his wife had been adjusting their work schedules to ensure their kindergarten-going daughter could continue with her lessons.
He urged the authorities to provide alternative learning arrangements for children without access to computers or the Internet.
“There must be another option to help these children,” he said.
Johor English Language Teaching Association president Vincent D’Silva said school closures should not mean a suspension of learning.
While students’ and teachers’ health and safety remained the priority, he said prolonged disruption to classroom teaching could affect pupils’ academic progress.
He said teachers could use digital platforms, online assignments and home-based learning modules to keep pupils engaged, but not all children had access to digital devices, reliable internet connections or a conducive environment for learning at home.
“If the haze persists, schools should strengthen communication between teachers, students and parents, review lesson plans and prioritise essential learning outcomes,” he said.
