LETTERS: THE Minister of Education, Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, has announced that if schools are to reopen in the near future, each class should only accommodate 16 to 17 students at any one time. This is to ensure social distancing to prevent the possible spread of the Covid-19 virus.
While it is good to hear that the ministry is making plans to bring students back to school, it must ensure that the schools, the teachers and other staff are fully prepared to operate under the new normal.
Generally, parents, teachers and even students have reacted positively to the idea and will welcome the ministry's proposal to return to schools under safe conditions.
It has been quite a long absence from schools and students are longing to go back to a proper classroom environment where they can better interact with teachers and their classmates.
Although e-learning from home is unavoidable in the current situation, the students are not able to focus as much as they can in a classroom.
In my view, as long as there is strict adherence to the safety guidelines and standard operating procedure (SOP), limiting the number of students to a class should not be an issue.
The new conditions and new norms should include the following:
1. Utmost consideration must be given to ensure that the ministry is able to ensure the safety and health of all students before sending them back to school.
2. As social distancing is going to be the practice, teachers must be better prepared to teach in a "new norm" environment. New ways and methods of teaching are required. Teachers must be consulted on this and a new schooling pedagogy based on the SOP may need to be rolled out.
3. In addition to social distancing in classrooms, the schools must ensure students who return to school have their body temperature taken and be provided with hand sanitisers and face masks. Shoes must be sanitised before students enter classrooms.
4. Special efforts must be made by schools to ensure good hygiene is practised at all times.
5. Students must report to teachers if they have a fever or other flu-like symptoms.
6. Students should be advised not to share personal items with classmates, like rulers, pencils and erasers.
7. Schools have to come up with their own SOP (depending on the number of students and toilets, and even arrangements for the canteen).
8. Recess times and canteen visits must be staggered and monitored.
9. There must be frequent break times to enable students to regularly practise personal hygiene.
10. Teachers should be able to explain to students the necessity for social distancing while emphasising that it is not the same thing as being anti-social. They must explain why this is necessary and that it is only meant to be a temporary measure.
11. The SOP should include instructions on the use of corridors, steps and playgrounds.
12. Priority for use of classrooms should be given to students preparing for public examinations.
13. Counselling must be made available to students.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Chairman, Alliance For Safe Community
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times