As the mid-term break comes to an end, parents are taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of their children amidst the rising Covid-19 cases. Shopkeeper Tan Jin Kiat is reminding his seven-year-old son to wear a face mask and keep spare masks and hand sanitizer in his bag at all times. He emphasizes the importance of teaching children prevention measures to avoid the virus, such as washing hands before and after meals. Despite concerns over the worsening Covid-19 situation and heatwave, Tan disagrees with extending the school holidays, stressing the value of young children’s education and their tendency to lose interest easily.
The Health Ministry’s KKMnow website reports a surge in daily Covid-19 cases, with an average of 688 cases reported in the third week of April, compared to 164 on March 5. However, mothers like Norhaida Hamid express confidence in their children’s ability to adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for Covid-19 prevention. Norhaida’s three daughters aged between seven and 11 practice social distancing, carry spare masks and sanitizers, and wash their hands properly even without her prompting.
Schoolteacher Chong Cheah Kheng has taught his eight-year-old son to keep a distance from schoolmates showing Covid-19 symptoms and consistently wear a mask. Despite concerns over a potential second pandemic wave, Chong believes in continuing physical classes and considers online learning to be a viable alternative if necessary.
The mid-term break ended on Saturday for Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, and yesterday for other states. As such, parents and teachers alike emphasize the importance of adhering to the SOP to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in schools as classes resume.
