KUALA LUMPUR: After almost two months of school closures due to spikes in Covid-19 cases, today, preschoolers, Year One and Year Two pupils in primary schools nationwide began their face-to-face school session.
As the country is still battling the Covid-19 pandemic, these young pupils embark on first day at school by adapting to the new norms and compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set.
Bernama checks at schools across the country found that as early as 7 am, students, accompanied by their parents began arriving at the school compound by undergoing body temperature checks and the use of hand sanitiser as well as wearing face masks of various colours and patterns while queuing before entering class.
Parents met expressed hope that the reopening of the school session this time would go smoothly without any delay as well as with the implementation of strict SOPs the students would be protected from any infection.
In the capital, Sentul district police chief ACP Beh Eng Lai said the police were mobilising several teams of mobile patrol vehicle (MPV) and motorcycle patrol units to ensure that all schools in the district comply with the SOPs set.
Beh, when met after his visit to SJKC Khai Chee here, said there are 24 secondary and 50 primary schools that will be monitored throughout the schooling session.
In PUTRAJAYA, Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin reminded parents and the schools to comply with the SOPs set in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
A Bernama check at Sekolah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Precinct 8 (1) found that the school compound was busy as early as 7 am and a group of students dressed as firefighters, pilots, doctors and police were seen standing in front of the gate, holding placards bearing messages such ‘Welcome back to school’, ‘Maintain one metre physical distancing’ and ‘Follow the SOPs’, to welcome students.
In SELANGOR a total of 208,979 preschoolers, Year One and Two pupils began their first day of face-to-face school session today.
Selangor Education Department said of the total number of students, 25,095 were preschoolers, 93,907 Year One pupils and 89,977 Year are from Year Two.
In NEGERI SEMBILAN, a total of 35,954 Year One and Two pupils involved in school session today. A check at Sekolah Kebangsaan King George V in Seremban, saw students wearing face masks apart from their attendance recorded and body temperature checked before being allowed to enter the school compound.
In MELAKA, a total of 33,846 students involving preschoolers, Year One and Two pupils started school sessions today. Of the total, 5,357 are preschoolers, 14,589 Year One pupils and another 13,900 are from Year Two.
State Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department chief ACP Mohd Hedzi Hussin said a total of 238 school liaison officers were stationed at national schools statewide to monitor compliance of the SOPs and the School Reopening Management Guidelines.
In PENANG, a total of 42,637 Year One and Year Two pupils started school session in the state.
“All of them started school session today at 271 schools including Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan China and Tamil (SJKC and SJKT) and SK Pendidikan Khas,” said the state Education Department director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad when contacted by Bernama today.
In KELANTAN, state Education Department deputy director (District Education Office (PPD) Education Planning and Management) Mohamad Abd Wahab said a total of 54,908 Year One and Year Two pupils, and 16,803 preschoolers started face-to-face session statewide.
In PAHANG, a total of 50,143 Year One and Year Two pupils started the school session today with 25,530 of them are Year One students.
Pupils at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pelindung, Kuantan were seen cheerful on the first day of school by wearing face masks of various patterns depicting superheroes and animation characters.
These pupils were also provided with water bottles and school bags distributed at the school gate, contribution from the office of Indera Mahkota MP, who is also the Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
In SABAH, state Education Department director Datuk Mistirine Radin said a total of 94,450 Year One and Year Two pupils started school sessions at 824 primary schools throughout the state as well as 27,767 preschoolers.
In KEDAH, state Education Department director Rozaini Ahmad said a total of 73,198 students involved in school session today including 12,683 preschoolers, 30,339 Year One and 30,176 Year Two pupils.
In TERENGGANU, a total of 43,948 Year One and Year Two students started school session at 352 primary schools while 10,664 preschoolers started learning sessions at 316 institutions throughout Terengganu.
In PERAK, a check at SK Cator Avenue, parents were seen watching their children’s antics while waiting their turn to enter their respective classrooms.
One of the parents, Saiful Bahari Noorjiaudin, 32, from Ampang here said he was grateful that face-to-face school session began today after the implementation of home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) session, as his six-year-old son Irfan, was very excited to attend school.
In JOHOR, Sekolah Kebangsaan (P) Sultan Ibrahim took the initiative to provide a drive-through facility to facilitate parents to drop off their children at school, thus reducing traffic congestion.
A Bernama check found that the school, which has 314 Year One and Year Two pupils as well as 25 preschoolers, also used the animated mascot ‘Pinkfong’ to welcome them back to school thus enlivening the atmosphere. – Bernama
