PARENTS are in two minds over the idea of sending their children back to school when it reopens on January 20 after almost a whole year of closure.

Their main concern is whether schools would enforce the standard operating procedure to ensure their children are safe from Covid-19, which shows no signs of abating.

Malaysia is reaching the six-digit infection rate after 2,062 cases yesterday, bringing the total to 97,389 while the number of fatalities increased to 439.

Khaled Emdad, a father of four from Subang Jaya in Selangor told The Malaysian Insight he would continue to home-school his children or register them at tuition facilities if he is not confident with the situation.

“The matter isn’t really about whether it is next week, month or year, it’s about the child’s safety.

“I have to be 100% sure there is no risk of contracting the virus at the school and that strict measures are in place.

“No parent should be comfortable sending their children back to school. Measures need to be implemented which ensures everyone is safe, while minimising direct contact,” the 29-year-old said.

Nurul Zulkifli, whose two children would enrol into primary one and preschool, said she is concerned that her children won’t be able to adhere to the SOP, which might put them at risk of contracting the virus.

“Half-worried, half-excited. My eldest daughter is entering primary one and my youngest in preschool.

“I am worried that my children will not be able to adhere to the SOP and will mix around freely with other kids.

“Personal hygiene is the main issue and I will need to instil this in them,” Nurul said.

She is considering not sending the children back to school as well.

“In fact, we are planning to get them a tab or a student version laptop which could be used for online classes.

“Since the movement-control order (MCO) in March, teachers have been sending over homework and exercises online.

“So, we are looking at the possibility schools might not be opened soon and new syllabus will be carried on via online,” she said.

The country imposed a strict nationwide lockdown for seven weeks from March 18 to May 3 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting from May 4, the country implemented the conditional MCO and ended it on June 9.

The recovery MCO began on June 10, but the CMCO returned to the Klang Valley on October 14.

During the MCO period, all schools were directed to close. They reopened in phases during the RMCO period.

On June 24, schools reopened for pupils sitting for public examinations, followed by July 15 for form one to four and remove class (transition year) pupils, as well as year five and six pupils. On July 22, schools reopened for year one to four pupils.

Schools were shuttered less than four months later from November 9 due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Another parent, Siti Marliza, 46, said she would be anxious once school begins for her children but just needs an assurance from teachers and schools to ensure safety.

“I know there is no such thing as a risk-free environment, so as a parent, I must assess the situation and compare the trade-offs of staying home versus going out to school,” Siti said.

“The fact is, you can interact with each other, wear a mask and conduct yourself in a day-to-day life in normal SOP. Things will be different then.”

While returning to school is exciting for many pupils, unfortunately, she said 2021 is not a typical year with the virus still around.

Steven Chiew, 36 told The Malaysian Insight he has no qualms about sending his daughter back to school next year.

“Mainly because I have confidence in her kindergarten to take the necessary steps to safeguard my daughter’s health.”

He said the vaccine has also brought along confidence that things will return to normal soon.

“It’s been almost a year that children have lost out on education and seeing that a vaccine is on the horizon, I feel it’s important for my daughter to go back to school to continue her development,” he said.

Chiew is not the only parent who is kee to allow his children to go back to school.

Intan Shafinaz, 26 said online learning does not seem to be helping her child’s education development as much.

“I know the teachers are doing their very best but I think it’s not the same for the children. I want my daughter to be able to develop her learning so that she can learn what she’s supposed to in school.”

She said while she feels excited and scared at the same time, she believes it is better for her children to have face-to-face learning instead of online.

“I hope they took the time they had during this pandemic to think about the safety and the children’s health during school next year.”

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah previously said a total of 1,257 pupils were infected from September 20 until October 21, when the country was facing a third wave of the epidemic.

Of that, 46.7% or 587 were from primary school, while 670 or 53.3% were secondary school pupils.

A total of 830 primary school pupils and 1,315 secondary school pupils were infected with Covid-19 between February and October 21.

A 14-year-old boy died on September 4. – December 24, 2020.