KUCHING: Parents here are seeing to it that their children’s studies are unaffected by the closure of schools in Kuching District, which remains a Covid-19’s Red Zone.
Khairul Azhar
Father of two, Khairul Azhar, said he was helping his eight-year-old daughter in her homework that her teachers at SK Jalan Arang had distributed via online platforms.
“The teachers will provide the homework via WhatsApp or Instagram, and from there, I would try to guide her.
“This is the time for me to teach my daughter at home, and it helps me to know her progress in her studies,” the stall operator told The Borneo Post here recently.
He said the safety and health of his family remained paramount during the current wave of this pandemic, which was why he had been supportive of the government’s decision to close schools in the district.
Zamri Ali Khan
Echoing Khairul’s views was civil servant Zamri Ali Khan, who said his only concern was keeping his three children safe from the coronavirus. He said apart from helping the children with their schoolwork, he would also make sure that they understood and followed the standard operating procedures (SOP) such as washing hands regularly, wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing in public places.
On studying from home, Zamri said the teachers of SMK Batu Kawa, SK Garland and SK RPR Batu Kawa would regularly
check in on his children’s progress via video conference sessions.
“They would also contact parents via WhatsApp if they had any concern regarding our children’s studies, so that we could help guide them in their lessons,” he said.
Another parent, Jersyca Sibat whose twins are pupils of SK Semenggok, said her priority was to ensure that her children’s education would not be affected by the closure of schools across the district.
Jersyca Sibat
“Apart from helping my children in their homework, I would supplement their lessons by teaching them various subjects via videos posted on YouTube.
“The only challenge right now is arranging a suitable time to teach and guide them, as I am
also a working mother,” she said.
Nonetheless, Jersyca said she supported the extension of closure of schools so long as Kuching remained a Red Zone district, as it was crucial to ensure that Covid-19 would not spread among the school-children.
All schools in Kuching District had been ordered to close from Oct 30 to Nov 13, following a surge in positive Covid-19 cases.
The closure involved 209 schools and institutions under the Education Ministry, teachers education institutes (IPGs), matriculation colleges, and private schools registered with the ministry.
Three other schools in Samarahan District – SMK Wira Penrissen, SMK Sungai Tapang and SK Wira Jaya – had been ordered to close from Nov 2 to 13, owing to their proximity with Kuching District.