LETTER: There have been calls to keep schools closed when the new term begins on Jan 20 over fears of Covid-19 infection, which has been skyrocketing since the beginning of the year.
Some parents and educators have expressed worry about their children's safety and suggested the use of online learning platforms instead of going to classes.
Last year, schools were opened for a few weeks with strict physical distancing and standard operating procedures (SOP) before closing again due to the second wave of the pandemic.
Large classes of children were reduced to smaller classes. Children were not allowed to gather in school premises and had their food delivered to classrooms from the canteen.
Everything was going as planned until we faced the second wave.
Since then, schools have had a long layoff, although there were some learning and teaching online that were affected by teething problems of connectivity and lack of appropriate learning devices.
Schools should open for the new term, but they must be directed to follow the SOP and implement physical distancing once again for the safety of teachers and children.
While children are prepared to go to school for the new term, we need to adapt and adopt the new normal, which should be embraced to fight the pandemic.
Headmasters and teachers need to prepare once more for the new school term. They have done it once, and they can do it again to meet the challenges of the pandemic.
Any further lapse in schooling will only result in children lagging in their studies.
There are major examinations and school-based evaluations that need to be done in the classroom.
It is going to be an uphill task for teachers to go to the classroom and begin teaching after a long break.
Psychologically, children may find it difficult to pay attention after being on their own free-and-easy mode for a long time.
But, we need to restart schooling to get the momentum going, so that the nation's education is not disrupted.
Another challenge is the fear of complacency in staying home and not wanting to go back to school.
Surprisingly, even teachers who were asked to report to school were not too happy about returning to work, giving all sorts of excuses to work from home (WFH).
The WFH syndrome has created some sort of comfort zone, so it is not easy to change those with this kind of thinking.
Nevertheless, as the Education Ministry has planned to re-open schools, two basic requirements should always be adhered to — strict SOP and physical distancing.
SAMUEL YESUIAH
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times