Parents in dilemma about sending children to school

BINTULU: Parents are facing a challenging decision on whether to send their children to school in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A random survey suggests that some parents prefer the postponement of the school reopening until the majority of the population is vaccinated against the virus.

Chua Feng Jie, whose daughter is a Primary 5 pupil at SJK Chung Hua Bintulu, believes that it would be safer to wait for a while until the situation has improved.

“It is better if we can wait. Only after the pandemic situation is very much under control, the school can be reopened,” she said.

Nevertheless, she said education is still a priority for all parents, but good health is more important now.

“But if the school reopens, I have to send her to school. Though I’m a bit worried, I have no choice, because I’m a working mother – no time to accompany her while she attends virtual learning at home,” Chua said.

Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) announced that schools in Covid-19 red zones in Sarawak would remain closed until March 14. Bintulu is currently under red zone.

However, Morni Ismail believes that it is critical for schools to open as safely and as quickly as possible.

“We as parents understand and also agree if schools reopen or not, consideration should be given to parents who do not have time with their children due to work, lack of internet facilities and other problems,” he said.

He said in-person mode of learning in school is still the most effective learning methodology and suggested for the Ministry of Education (MoE) to adopt a hybrid mode of learning.

For Sarawak, Morni said the decision by the SDMC to extend the postponement of reopening of schools is understandable due to the high number of daily positive cases.

“We as parents hope the government will be able to find other alternatives for schools to reopen safely,” said Morni who has four children in SK Kampung Baru Bintulu.

On the other hand, Mohamad Bahrem Satem said as a parent he will support any government decision which is best for his children’s educational development.

However, he understands that some parents would be reluctant to send their children to school now due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is because the Covid-19 cases have not shown any sign of decreasing to the safe level.

“As a father, I am also thinking about how safe are my children when they are in school as we do not know the health history of their friends and their parents,” he said.

Bahrem welcomes the proposal by Sarawak United Association of Chinese Primary School Boards of Management for reopening of schools to be postponed until mid-May, if the situation shows a really convincing recovery.

“As we are in the process of getting our vaccination, I pray that the infection will reduce and stop,” said Bahrem, whose eldest son is now sitting for SPM and two younger children are in primary school.

Nurul Shima Shahminon said as a mother she would like all her children to quickly return to school and study as they have been left behind for so long due to the school closure.

“However, I welcome the proposal for the school session to be postponed until mid-May following an increase in positive cases in Bintulu and Sarawak in general,” she said.

Nurul said the virus is invisible and it is difficult to know who have been infected, and hopes there is herd immunity when most of the population have been vaccinated to ease the anxiety and worries of parents.

In light of the four-digit confirmed cases daily nationwide, reopening of schools on March 1 or 15 is rather unwise, said the president of Federation of Registered Chinese Association Bintulu, Chin Chee Fui.

He said the reopening of schools so soon seems to contradict the new standard operating procedure (SOP) that takes effect from March 11, under which penalties have been increased from a fine of RM1,000 to RM10,000 and/or a jail term of seven years for individual while a corporate body can be fined RM50,000, if found violating the SOP.

“The public especially parents of school children are much confused after realising that the government has strengthened the SOP with heavier penalties in its aim to contain the pandemic across the country.

“This gives them the impression that the pandemic has either been well controlled or has worsened.

“We can’t blame the parents for their reluctance to send their children to school because of the uncertainty of the pandemic situation,” he said.

According to him, it is of utmost urgency to vaccinate teachers and students before schools reopen, as reports of staffs in the schools being infected with the virus were not new.

To monitor the hundreds and thousands of school children to comply with the SOP will not be easy, he said, adding that to trace their close contacts and movements before entering the school is another task.

“This is because some may have been to a high-risk area which nobody will be able to know unless the parents are honest to tell or avoid sending their children to school for the time being,” said Chin.

He pointed out that schools are places where students and parents, including teachers and staff, from various areas gather, and should there be an active case, the risk of spreading to the entire area is much higher.

Considering that online learning systems have been upgraded recently, he asked why the Ministry of Education insisted on reopening schools in the midst of the pandemic.

“It may end up jeopardising one’s life and compromise the effort of flattening the pandemic curve in the country,” he said.

On Feb 19, Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that preschoolers, Year 1 and 2 students would return to school on March 1, Year 3 to 6 students on March 8, secondary school students in Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah on April 4 and the remaining states on April 5.